The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, while not mentioning Freedom of Association directly, has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court to include protection of Freedom of Association.  So, direct efforts to make labor unions illegal have been unsuccessful.  That does not keep the anti-union folks from trying.  One way to do that is to prevent organizations from being able to fund themselves.

Louisiana is a Right to Work state.  Like many anti-union laws, the names can be misleading.  Right to Work laws do not actually create a right to work for anyone.  There is no guarantee of employment.  What Right to Work laws really do is regulate employees’ ability to unionize.  In a Right to Work state, unions cannot require employees to belong to a union or force non-union members to pay fees to the union to support labor negotiations.  These laws are intended to weaken labor unions.

Louisiana law currently allows public employees to pay dues to organizations utilizing payroll deduction, a function which does not cost anything to be maintained. La. R.S. 42:457 allows public employees who are members of a labor union to pay their dues through payroll deduction. La. R.S. 42:457.1 allows police officers and firefighters who belong to professional organizations, like the Fraternal Order of Police, to pay their dues through payroll deduction.

In the 2015 Louisiana Legislative Session, HB 418 and SB 204, supported by groups like the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, seek to hurt labor unions by repealing authorization to pay dues through payroll deduction.  Along with labor unions, professional organizations such as the FOP, employee advocates, would  also suffer the inability to collect dues by payroll deduction.

Click here for more insight into this matter.  Or here.

They are calling this one “paycheck protection” as if to suggest that organizations such as the FOP are raiding our members’ paychecks or that our members are in need of the Legislature’s protection to keep them from spending money on the FOP.  Don’t be fooled by “paycheck protection.”  See more below, including links to tell your elected representatives that you do not approve of HB 418 or SB 204.

The LAFOP is committed to protecting the rights of its members in Louisiana.  Remember that you are part of an organization that represents law enforcement officers from Greenwood to New Orleans and many points between. This session we have fought against losing our constitutionally protected state supplemental pay.  Our membership responded and was instrumental in having HB 523 stopped. Well the next task is in front of us, HB 418 and SB 204.  Both of these bills will prohibit your voluntary payroll deduction for your dues to your local organization. It has been said that the reason for this legislation is that organizations, like ours, is using its dues money to pay for “Planned Parenthood”.  What we know is that local FOP lodges pay for things with their dues money like supporting Easter Seals, Torch Run, and the Saint Baldrick’s Foundation. Remember that a majority of the success that we have had in this Legislative Session is due to the foresight of our membership.  The members decided that it was important for the LAFOP to have a governmental liaison to properly represent them in Baton Rouge. So again we are asking members to do one simple thing and click to let the Senate and House of Representative Labor and Industrial Relations Committee members know that as a supporter of the LAFOP and public safety you are opposed to both of these pieces of legislation. Click here to send an email to the Senators and Representatives. Link to HB 418 Link to SB 204 Link to Donovan Livaccari Letter to the Editor Link to Advocate Article Link to Advocate Letter Send us your local lodge news.  Email to info@lafop.net