Governor signs bill to protect workplaces, cut off union dues upon leaving union
PHOENIX – The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry today applauded Gov. Jan Brewer for signing Senate Bill 1363 into law, which makes important reforms to the state’s labor laws.
Thanks to the leadership of bill sponsor Sen. Frank Antenori, the bill ensures that when a labor union member terminates his or her membership, the wage deductions for union dues stop immediately. There have been instances when an employee still sees paycheck deductions to cover union dues despite having already severed his or her relationship with the union.
The new law also tightens the trespass statutes to ensure that when labor organizers or other protesting groups violate trespassing laws that they can be arrested on the first offense. This is a private property rights issue. Labor organizers know they can trespass on employers’ private property while picketing, but will rarely face arrest as police attempt to sort out property lines and determine who the property owner is. This legislation would allow a business to post a trespass policy publicly with the secretary of state that could be easily accessed by law enforcement, which would allow trespassing laws to be enforced on a first offense.
“Gov. Brewer, Sen. Antenori and the rest of this Legislature are working hard to win back the jobs we’ve lost in this recession,” Chamber President and CEO Glenn Hamer said. “A state’s labor environment is critical to determining whether it’s friendly or hostile to job creation. By passing this bill and signing it into law, the Legislature and the governor are sending a message that Arizona stands with job creators.”
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