State Halts Compulsory Union Dues Collections

August 3, 2018

State Halts Compulsory Union Dues Collections

One of the fundamental freedoms associated with being an American is the right to associate with people and groups that share our interests. That right implies the ability to avoid associating with groups that do not share our interests.

This basic, fundamental right previously came under attack when the state extracted “fair share” union dues from state workers who chose not to join a union. The state essentially was taking money from state workers and giving it to an organization they neither joined or supported.

The Supreme Court in a landmark case ruled this practice is unconstitutional. Several of my colleagues and I wrote a letter to the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf to inquire about when and how the Commonwealth would begin adhering to the court ruling.

We were informed the administration is immediately halting the deduction of union fees for employees who chose not to join the union. The administration has no plans to notify state workers that collection of “fair share” union fees will no longer take place.

If you are a state worker who is not a member of the union, you should pay attention to your pay stub to ensure “fair share” union fees are no longer being collected.

Visit Our Table at the Northwestern Rural Electric Co-Operative Picnic

My staff and I will have an information table in the vendor area of the Northwestern Rural Electric Co-operative Association Inc. picnic on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Crawford County Fairgrounds.

I enjoy attending this event each year and talking with local residents about state issues and providing useful information and state publications. My staff and I will be there to answer questions about state government-related issues, programs and services. We hope to see you there!

My staff and I will have an information table in the vendor area of the Northwestern Rural Electric Co-operative Association Inc. picnic on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Crawford County Fairgrounds.

I enjoy attending this event each year and talking with local residents about state issues and providing useful information and state publications. My staff and I will be there to answer questions about state government-related issues, programs and services. We hope to see you there!

Expect Delays with Professional and Occupational Licensing

My office staff and I have been made aware of several constituents who have experienced significant delays when trying to acquire or renew business or occupational licenses through the Commonwealth. Our office has tried to intervene on behalf of several local constituents, but it has taken several days to receive a response from the licensing agencies. We were told some of the delays were caused by a poorly planned transition to a new computer system.

Nurses, car dealers, barbers, real estate agents and others who rely on professional and occupational licenses to earn their livelihoods should apply for them as soon as possible and not wait until the last minute.

Ensuring Safety of Recalled Vehicles

With more vehicles being the subject of nationwide recalls, a new law taking effect on Aug. 27 will require all new and used vehicle dealers licensed in Pennsylvania to disclose, in writing to used vehicle purchasers, the existence of any open, unrepaired recalls.

Under Act 59 of 2018, a dealer would be in compliance with the disclosure requirement by providing the used vehicle retail purchaser a report obtained from the website safercar.gov, or a successor website, based on a vehicle identification number search.

Consumers would still have the option to pursue civil action if a dealer fails to disclose existence of open recalls.

New Law Requires Protective Fencing on New Bridges

After a woman was seriously injured by a large rock thrown from a bridge over Interstate 80 in Union County in 2014, a new law seeks to protect drivers, their passengers and pedestrians from debris thrown from bridges and overpasses.

Act 65 of 2018 will require PennDOT to include protective fencing in the construction of new state-owned bridges and install protective fencing on any existing bridge at such time that a major renovation is required and the bridge is located over an interstate highway.

The new law also mandates fencing on bridges where instances of suicide or attempted suicide have occurred.

PennDOT Wants to Hear From You

To help reduce crashes and fatalities on Pennsylvania roadways, PennDOT is asking drivers to participate in the department’s 2018 Behavioral Survey.

The five-minute survey asks about seatbelt use, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, speeding and distracted behaviors.

The survey is open until Friday, Aug. 17, and all responses, including comments, are completely anonymous.

Once data is compiled, the department will review the results for potential additions or adjustments to the department’s safety efforts.

For more information on PennDOT’s highway safety efforts, visit PennDOT.gov/safety.

Emergency Programs Can Save Lives

Drivers are reminded of two voluntary programs aimed at saving the lives of residents in emergency situations. Participation in both programs is free of charge.

In PennDOT’s Yellow Dot Program, participants fill out the program form with emergency contact, medical contact and medical information, insert it in the program’s folder and then place it in their vehicle’s glove compartment. A yellow dot sticker affixed to the rear window alerts emergency responders to the availability of information to help them provide better care to crash victims.

The Emergency Contact Information program offers Pennsylvania driver’s license and PennDOT-issued ID holders the opportunity to log into a secure database and list two emergency contacts. Participants can update the information as needed, but only law enforcement officials can view the information in the system. In the event of an emergency, law enforcement can use a participant’s ID to find his or her emergency contact information.

The Yellow Dot program is used only in vehicle crashes, but the Emergency Contact Information program can be used in other emergencies as well as crashes.

Sign Up to Receive Legislative Email Updates

Keep up-to-date on the latest legislative and community news. Your email address will be used strictly for legislative purposes.