Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Condemns Paycheck Deception Bill Approved by the Pennsylvania State Senate

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder condemned the passage today of paycheck deception legislation, Senate Bill 501, by the Pennsylvania Senate.

President Bloomingdale stated, "This extreme legislation – S.B. 501 – silences the voices of working families and their ability to advocate for safe jobs, improvements in services, public safety and policies that expand our middle class. It prohibits school teachers, nurses and caregivers, and public safety workers from negotiating payroll deductions but allows corporations to continue using payroll deductions which are used to fund their political campaigns. Not only does it take away our rights to negotiate voluntary payroll deductions, it also prohibits counties, municipalities, and school districts from having the right to negotiate with their employees without interference from the State. It reeks of discrimination against working families and their unions and interferes with the ability of local governments and school districts to negotiate agreements that lower costs and savings for taxpayers."

Secretary-Treasurer Snyder stated, "S.B. 501 is an anti-working family bill that tilts the balance of power in favor of corporations and out of state billionaires who are trying to buy our State Government and pursue an anti-worker, anti-middle class agenda. This is nothing more than Right-to-Work for less, which weakens our rights, silences our voice, and lines the pockets of the rich and powerful. Instead of supporting good public policies that re-invest in our schools, good jobs, and strong communities, they choose to put us in a race to bottom toward lower wages, no benefits, and unsafe jobs. Instead of attacking workers, they should be supporting our public schools, rebuilding our infrastructure and creating good family sustaining jobs. Do the job you were sent to Harrisburg for!"

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO