'Right to work' fight over public employee unions heats up in Oregon, may go to 2016 ballot

[Omaha Steve]

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Union supporters rally in front of the Oregon State Capitol in support of public workers in Wisconsin in 2011. The Wisconsin Legislature enacted restrictions on collective bargaining with public employees that year and this year enacted a right-to-work law for private-sector workers. (Doug Beghtel|The Oregonian/2011)

http://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2015/03/right_to_work_fight_heats_up_i.html

By Jeff Mapes | The Oregonian/OregonLive
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on March 17, 2015 at 6:08 PM, updated March 17, 2015 at 7:06 PM

Oregon may be one of the next big battlegrounds over "right to work" restrictions on unions that have now spread to 25 states.

Washington County attorney Jill Gibson, who has been supported by some of the state's major conservative political donors, is moving toward putting a measure on the 2016 ballot that would allow public employees to opt out of financially supporting a union.

Her union opponents are already preparing for what would be an expensive and bitter battle in next year's elections if the right-to-work measure ends up on the ballot. Unions are already gearing up for a heavy campaign season, as they plan to go to the ballot with tax increase proposals.

Currently, Oregon public employees don't have to join a union that bargains for them, but they still have to pay "fair-share" fees aimed at covering their costs of representation.

FULL story at link.