SB-5 Allows Fair Shair Opt Out

     If SB-5 survives the referendum push, it will allow teachers to opt out of even the fair share portion of union membership.  For the unitiated, that means that now teachers will have a third option on the first teacher day of the year.  They will be able to fully join the union, they will be able to pay only the "fair share" dues (meaning that they won't pay the political contribution part of the dues but are still under the umbrella of union negotiations), or they will be able to simply not join the unions.

     What will the effect of this be?  Perhaps it will mean that unions will "morph into professional associations" as Mike Bock said oin his March 3rd post. http://daytonos.com/?p=9976&cpage=1#comment-24909.  While hoping Mr. Bock is correct, I am slightly more skeptical.  I do not think that unions will go peacefully and quietly into the realm of "association", at least not without a fight. 

     I have long questioned the motives of the union itself.  Not the local negotiators, but the union.  We as teachers are told by our unions at contract time or when school districts have to reduce their teaching force, that teachers are not to be judged by their product, but  by longevity.  If the person teaching in the room next to me has been there longer, and they need to cut in our department, I loose my job first.  That is regardless of the quality of my product, ie, my success in the classroom. 

     By spending union dollars to protect teachers who are not as qualified, it creates life long loyalty by these members.  They will gladly pay their dues since they were served individually.  How does this benefit the teaching profession or our end users, the students?  It simply does not.  It perpetuates the necessity of unions. 

     So, while the opportunity for the union to get out in front of this issue and turn into something that more protects both good quality teachers and students is there, I do not believe that this will happen with out an all out dog fight.  Unions will spend millions of dollars in Ohio in order to convince their members that in order for them to remain as a teacher, they must remain beholden to the union itself.  Teachers will be told that the only thing between them and the big bad world is the union, not their own skill and dedication.