Education Minnesota rips union dues proposal

Education Minnesota is blasting a bill in the state Senate that would change the way public employee unions can collect dues.

Republican Sen. Pam Wolf of Spring Lake Park -- who's a union teacher -- wants to block union dues from funding political activity unless employees ask to contribute.

But Education Minnesota President Tom Dooher said teachers can already opt out of funding political activity.

"What I believe she's trying to do is bury the union in a blizzard of bureaucracy, making it the organization's responsibility, instead of the individual's responsibility, which is rather ironic for a Republican, who talks about individual responsibility all the time," Dooher said.

Wolf says her proposal is not an attack on unions. She says union members should have more control over the dues deducted from their paychecks.

A Senate state government panel postponed action Monday on the bill until after the Legislature returns from a weeklong break.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)