Union Dues Bill Passes Committee Hurdle -- Barely

The Senate Community Affairs Committee passed along a bill that would prevent the automatic deduction of government-worker union dues by a razor thin margin Monday in a 5-4 vote.

Senate Bill 830, sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, would allow state and local government workers to authorize union dues deductions and approve money spent on political purposes on a yearly basis, but it surprisingly ran into opposition by some Republicans on the committee.

"I speak with a unique position, having being the target of many of those (union) dollars," said Sen. Jim Norman, R-Tampa.

Despite running into opposition supported financially in part by political contributions from unions, Norman said he was against the bill because government shouldn't be interfering with how unions operate.

Thrasher countered that his bill merely allows union members to have a greater say in how union dollars are spent.

"There is nothing in this bill that prohibits an individual from joining a union. I frankly don't understand some of the concerns," Thrasher said.

Full story to follow.