Indiana House panel advances measure on teacher unions
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indiana lawmakers are considering a measure that requires publicizing the percentage of teachers who are union members and, in some cases, informing them that they can get rid of or change that representation.
Labor unions say the measure is another “poke in the eye” from Indiana lawmakers, who previously passed a right-to-work law, curtailing union power. A House education panel approved the measure 7-4 in a party line vote Tuesday.
Republican state Sen. Erin Houchin and other supporters contend some teachers are unhappy but don’t know their rights or how to go about changing things. The Salem lawmaker’s proposal also mandates a state website include instructional material about changing representation.
Teacher union representatives say the information about union membership is already accessible and doesn’t need to be broadly published.