HB 168 has been referred to the House Business and Labor Committee.
Members should flood this committee with messages opposing the bill.
NOTE: The Great Falls Legislators on the committee are Ed Buttery, Fred Anderson, and Steve Gist.
(Attached to the end of this email is the full contact list for the Committee.)
A FIRST HEARING WILL BE HELD ON THIS BILL FRIDAY.
HB 168 is unlawful government overreach that interferes with the voluntary agreements between unions and members. This bill seeks to fundamentally undermine our collective voice as workers and will lead to lower wages and less safe workplaces.
WHAT IT DOES --
1. Requires union members to opt-in to their union once a year by signing an unlawful waiver of rights. If a worker does not opt-in, then that worker's union membership ceases and dues are no longer paid to the union.
2. Takes important resources and time away from a unions ability to collectively bargain for higher wages and safer working conditions.
WHO TO CONTACT -- House Business and Labor Committee
LINK: People can go to the link below, and they have to select "committee." Then, choose the committee they're looking to contact: https://leg.mt.gov/web-messaging/
PHONE: By phone people can call 406.444.4800 and say they want to leave a message for members of the House Business and Labor committee.
Attached to the bottom of this email is the full contact list for the Committee:
MESSAGING TO USE --
HB 168: ILLEGAL INTRUSION ON WORKER RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
1. Unlawful government intrusion on the voluntary relationship between unions and their members;
2. Allows the government to tell workers what they can and can't do with their own paycheck;
3. Creates a bureaucratic nightmare.
THE FACTS --
• Every single state and federal court to consider the issues presented in HB 168, including a state court in Montana, has ruled that the Janus decision does not apply to the voluntary relationship between unions and their members.
HB 168 is government overreach and an assault on the freedom of speech and association of frontline workers like nurses, educators, police and state troopers who protect, serve, educate and care for Montana citizens.
• No one is ever forced to join a union and union members voluntarily agree to pay dues.
Union members are not forced to join the union, but instead, choose to join.
HB 168 creates chaos in school districts, local and state governments by allowing any number of parties to negotiate with public employers.
SB 89 sows discord and undoes a century of labor stability and peace in Montana.
In every unionized public sector worksite in Montana - school districts, universities, cities, counties, state and more, management and workers have VOLUNTARILY negotiated that the employer will deduct dues for members from their paychecks. No one forced this to occur; both workers and employers have agreed over and over again that this is an efficient and practical option.
• HB 168 is harmful, unnecessary and unconstitutional.
Our nurses, law enforcement, firefighters, and teachers who have delivered essential services to every Montana community during a global pandemic deserve better.
HB 168: HARMFUL, UNNECESSARY, AND UNLAWFUL.
Attached below is the full contact list for the Committee:
Members should flood this committee with messages opposing the bill.
NOTE: The Great Falls Legislators on the committee are Ed Buttery, Fred Anderson, and Steve Gist.
(Attached to the end of this email is the full contact list for the Committee.)
A FIRST HEARING WILL BE HELD ON THIS BILL FRIDAY.
HB 168 is unlawful government overreach that interferes with the voluntary agreements between unions and members. This bill seeks to fundamentally undermine our collective voice as workers and will lead to lower wages and less safe workplaces.
WHAT IT DOES --
1. Requires union members to opt-in to their union once a year by signing an unlawful waiver of rights. If a worker does not opt-in, then that worker's union membership ceases and dues are no longer paid to the union.
2. Takes important resources and time away from a unions ability to collectively bargain for higher wages and safer working conditions.
WHO TO CONTACT -- House Business and Labor Committee
LINK: People can go to the link below, and they have to select "committee." Then, choose the committee they're looking to contact: https://leg.mt.gov/web-messaging/
PHONE: By phone people can call 406.444.4800 and say they want to leave a message for members of the House Business and Labor committee.
Attached to the bottom of this email is the full contact list for the Committee:
MESSAGING TO USE --
- Most Montanans agree that working people should have the freedom to join together in strong unions if they choose to. HB168 is an attack on public service workers’ freedom to negotiate for the quality public services we all rely on.
- HB168 targets frontline workers—the nurses, teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, sanitation and food service workers who kept us safe and our communities functioning during the COVID outbreak.
HB 168: ILLEGAL INTRUSION ON WORKER RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
1. Unlawful government intrusion on the voluntary relationship between unions and their members;
2. Allows the government to tell workers what they can and can't do with their own paycheck;
3. Creates a bureaucratic nightmare.
THE FACTS --
• Every single state and federal court to consider the issues presented in HB 168, including a state court in Montana, has ruled that the Janus decision does not apply to the voluntary relationship between unions and their members.
HB 168 is government overreach and an assault on the freedom of speech and association of frontline workers like nurses, educators, police and state troopers who protect, serve, educate and care for Montana citizens.
• No one is ever forced to join a union and union members voluntarily agree to pay dues.
Union members are not forced to join the union, but instead, choose to join.
HB 168 creates chaos in school districts, local and state governments by allowing any number of parties to negotiate with public employers.
SB 89 sows discord and undoes a century of labor stability and peace in Montana.
In every unionized public sector worksite in Montana - school districts, universities, cities, counties, state and more, management and workers have VOLUNTARILY negotiated that the employer will deduct dues for members from their paychecks. No one forced this to occur; both workers and employers have agreed over and over again that this is an efficient and practical option.
• HB 168 is harmful, unnecessary and unconstitutional.
Our nurses, law enforcement, firefighters, and teachers who have delivered essential services to every Montana community during a global pandemic deserve better.
HB 168: HARMFUL, UNNECESSARY, AND UNLAWFUL.
Attached below is the full contact list for the Committee:

house_business_and_labor_contacts.pdf |