JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Unions representing teachers and other public employees sued on Monday to try to block a new Missouri law that they claim imposes “a raft of harsh restrictions” that “effectively eviscerates” their right to organize and bargain on behalf of employees.
A Missouri law set to take effect Tuesday will require most public sector unions to hold recertification votes to continue their representation, limit the topics on which they can bargain, and require annual employee permission to deduct dues from paychecks and spend money on political causes.
The lawsuit filed in St. Louis County seeks an injunction and a declaration that the law violates several provisions of the Missouri Constitution, including free speech and due process rights and a specific right for employees “to organize and to bargain collectively.”