By AP
LANSING, MI –
The Republican-led Michigan House has narrowly approved a proposal that would prohibit public schools from automatically deducting union dues from employee paychecks.
The House approved the measure Thursday by a 55-53 vote. The measure advances to the Republican-led Senate.
Supporters of the bill say it will put more money in teachers' paychecks, at least up front. Teachers could write checks to unions later to cover their dues.
Opponents say the proposal is another attempt to weaken teachers' unions and inconvenience teachers in the state.
A separate proposal that could soon come up in the Michigan Legislature would make Michigan a so-called "right to teach" state.