As House Bill 178 sat on Governor Gordon’s desk, Wyoming taxpayers were treated to a spectacle of union-orchestrated panic, blatant misinformation, and desperate pleas for a veto. The Wyoming Education Association (WEA), Wyoming State AFL-CIO, and over-the-top commentators Gail Symons are cranking up the drama machine. They urged people to "flood" the governor's office with calls and emails.
Social media was ablaze with cries of "union busting," but let's cut through the noise: HB178 is pure common sense, finally ending the taxpayer-funded free ride for unions and political slush funds by halting automatic payroll deductions for dues and contributions.
Forget the hysterics, this bill doesn't outlaw unions, ban membership, or stop workers from paying dues. It simply kicks public employers out of the business of being unpaid collection agents for private labor groups like the WEA or AFL-CIO affiliates, along with PACs and political committees. Employees remain free to join and pay directly, handling their finances like responsible adults. No more siphoning wages through systems bankrolled by hardworking Wyoming families. Public dollars for public purposes - it's that straightforward.
Yet the union crowd is in full meltdown mode. The AFL-CIO's posts scream for a veto, labeling it an outright "attack on workers." Baloney. And Symons's op-ed? It's something that’s less than a masterclass in spin, moaning that HB178 makes dues collection "harder" and hammers teachers and state employees. Newsflash, Gail: Convenience isn't a taxpayer-subsidized entitlement.
She concedes the deducted funds are employee wages but dodges the elephant in the room. The public infrastructure, staff hours, and resources grinding away to process those transactions are paid for by TAXPAYERS. We're not raiding anyone's paycheck; we're just stopping the state from propping up private political empires that often bite the hand that feeds them.
Symons even drags in her cousin's text, calling the bill "stupid" and questioning "why now?" after 50 years of payroll deductions. Why now? Because it's high time Wyoming stopped this absurd cycle where taxpayers fund the machinery that collects dues, only for those dues to fuel lawsuits against the state, sticking the taxpayer with the defense costs too. It's like paying the entry fee for your opponent in a boxing match, buying their gloves, hiring the ref, and then covering the medical bills while they pummel you senseless.
Facts over feelings:
- HB178 explicitly shielded firefighters' bargaining rights, which have been enshrined in Wyoming statute since 1971, over 50 years, as the state's sole collective bargaining framework for public employees. The bill doesn't touch it one bit (W.S. 27-7-116(c)(iv)), honoring a legacy that dates back to when lawmakers recognized the unique needs of fire services.
- Existing contracts would have remained intact, with the law effective January 1, 2027, giving unions ample time to adapt. Hey, "innovative" unions, ever heard of bank drafts or online payments?
- Unions like the WEA have a notorious habit of suing the state, often over funding and policies, using dues harvested through these very public systems. Take their 2022 lawsuit against Wyoming for allegedly underfunding schools, which dragged on until 2025. How much did that cost the taxpayers? Or their 2025 challenge to the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act, a school choice program, where they secured an injunction blocking $30 million in vouchers. These legal battles cost taxpayers millions in defense. So WHY should we subsidize the collection of the ammo used against us?
- Symons gripes about "selectivity - why target only unions?” Simple: Other deductions, like retirement or insurance, don't bankroll political hit jobs or endless litigation against the state. Wyoming already oversees a slew of private entities, from political parties to businesses via the Wyoming Business Council. This isn't "busting" unions; it's smart oversight to prevent public funds from playing partisan favorites.
This bill isn't some vindictive plot; it's scorching-hot accountability. Wyoming counts over 41,000 public employees (per Wyoming Retirement System data), and their families deserve a government that doesn't squander resources on union perks. Symons's cousin wonders "why now?" Well, perhaps because national anti-taxpayer schemes, peddled by out-of-state billionaires and union bosses, have no place here. Wyoming prides itself on independence; it's time our payroll systems reflected that.
Critics like the NEA wail that these laws lead to steep membership drops. But here's the spicy truth: If unions are truly indispensable, members will stick around without the crutch of automatic deductions. The sky won’t fall, public services will continue, and taxpayers will save millions in administrative costs.
The WEA's litigation spree exemplifies why HB178 is overdue. Beyond the 2022 funding suit, which stretched into 2025 (at taxpayer expense for both sides), the WEA challenged the 2025 school choice program, arguing it “siphoned public funds.” Ironically, these lawsuits are funded by dues collected via the systems HB178 targets (by none other than siphoning public funds.) This creates a vicious, taxpayer-punishing loop. How many millions have Wyoming families shelled out defending against their own subsidized opponents?
Symons claims this is "retaliatory," tying it to lawmakers' "hostility" toward the WEA and public schools. Nonsense! It is principled pushback against entrenched interests that treat public payrolls as their personal ATMs. If unions deliver real value, like the vision coverage Symons's cousin frets about losing through the Wyoming Public Employees Association, members will pay directly. Churches, nonprofits, and professional groups manage it without government crutches. Why can't “powerful” unions?
Let facts, not volume, guide you. Prove Wyoming champions fiscal sanity and a clean break between public systems and private politics.