JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation championed by Republicans that sought to limit political activity by public labor unions, but the victory may only be temporary for the bill’s opponents.
On Tuesday, he struck down Senate Bill 29, referred to by its supporters as “paycheck protection.” The bill would only allow employers to deduct labor union dues if an employee provided annual consent, and require an employee to provide annual consent if the funds were to be used for political purposes.
“The bill targets a single group of employees and targets a single group of employees and imposes on them an unnecessary and cumbersome process,” he wrote. “The bill places unnecessary burdens on public employees for the purpose of weakening labor organizations.”
The bill passed through the state House in the final week of legislative session. Republicans, including Speaker Tim Jones, called the bill one of the first steps toward “right to work,” a policy that would further prevent union membership from being a condition of employment.
Nixon received an outpouring of support on Tuesday from Democratic-leaning groups, including Progress Missouri and Missouri AFL-CIO, both of which were active in opposition to the bill in the first place.
“With today’s veto, Governor Nixon stood up for the basic rights of Missouri’s everyday heroes – the people who work every day to keep our state working,” said Hugh McVey, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO. “Nurses, teachers, police officers and countless other middle class Missourians would have lost their voice on the job if this unfair and dangerous paycheck deception bill were to become law.”
Nixon’s veto was just one step, however, for groups opposed to the bill. Republicans may return to the issue when they reconvene for a session to reconsider the governor’s vetoes in September. Leadership sources in both the House and Senate were unsure on Tuesday whether they had the votes for an override.
The bill received bipartisan opposition when it was first brought up, so for lawmakers to override the veto, it would require leadership to flip every Republican who voted against it originally to vote for it. Regardless of what happens in veto session, Jones has pledged to push through “right to work” when the body reconvenes next January.