(Ohio) Teachers OK Extra Union Dues to Fight SB5

http://www.wkbn.com/content/news/local/story/Teachers-OK-Extra-Union-Dues-to-Fight-SB5/MLx_uVdHu02bmcSYDbJBoA.cspx

Members of Ohio's largest teachers' union have agreed to a one-time, $54 dues increase to pay for the fight against Ohio's new collective bargaining law.

A spokeswoman for the Ohio Education Association said 111,000 active union members would pay the extra dollars under a proposal overwhelmingly approved Friday. School support staff would pay $25. Student and retired members were exempted. The dues change could mean an additional $5.5 million for the union.

Spokeswoman Michele Prater said the dollars could be spent on advertisements and to help gather the signatures needed to ask voters to overturn the measure this fall.

Ohio's new law affects more than 350,000 teachers, firefighters and other public workers. They can negotiate wages and certain work conditions but not health care, sick time or pension benefits.