Idaho law ends use of public funds for teachers’ union

Just the news ^ | 04/15/2026 | Esther Wickham | The Center Square

[DFG]

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a measure prohibiting public schools from using taxpayer-funded resources to support teachers’ unions, a move supporters say restores government neutrality while critics argue it limits educators’ ability to organize.

The legislation, House Bill 516, bars school districts from facilitating payroll deductions for union dues and restricts the use of public resources to assist union activities. The law is set to take effect July 1.

Supporters of the measure, including the Freedom Foundation, which prompted the report, argue that allowing payroll deductions amounts to indirect taxpayer support because public employees and systems are used to process payments.

“Government shouldn’t be picking winners and losers in political debates,” Maxford Nelsen, the Freedom Foundation’s director of research and government affairs, told The Center Square in an exclusive interview. “It shouldn’t be aiding and providing special privileges or subsidies to particular advocacy groups.”

“By getting school districts out of this business of using taxpayer funds, collect union dues and prop up teachers' union activity - that's just restoring neutrality,” Nelsen added.

Nelsen said the main issue is not that union dues themselves are taxpayer money, but that school districts act as billing agents by using public payroll systems and staff time to collect and process those dues.

“They will definitely recruit more people to join the organization if they are allowed to use payroll deduction,” Nelsen said. “Then if they had to go out like any other private membership organization and get people to actually purchase, take the affirmative step of handing their payment information to them, and purchase that membership.”

He added that while administrative costs may be relatively small, the payroll system creates what he described as an “in-kind value” that benefits unions and is not available to other private advocacy groups.

The Idaho Education Association argues that unions are funded entirely by member contributions.

“We are 100% funded by member dues,” Mike Journee, director of communication at the IEA, told The Center Square. “The bill’s sponsors intentionally misrepresented the option of using payroll deduction to pay dues as a talking point to pass deeper restrictions on our members’ ability to organize at their worksite.”

The IEA is now urging members to switch from payroll deduction to IEA AutoPay before the law takes effect and to stay engaged politically ahead of upcoming elections.

Little signed the bill April 10, with a letter stating the Republican governor “strongly supported teachers’ ability to advocate for their profession.”

“However, while local and state teachers’ associations do important work, they remain private organizations that currently receive taxpayer-funded support not extended to other private entities. House Bill 516a addresses that imbalance,” Little wrote.

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TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: bradlittle; education; idaho; iea; teachersunion; unions

[Vigilanteman]

The unions could go on strike to force their school districts to support these deductions. But it would be interesting to see how many teachers go along when they could easily set-up other methods such as bank debits or on-line payment systems.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Excellent. Winning. “Teachers unions” suck. They all belong to the DemonRAT Party of Death.

[Tell It Right]

Soon they'll find out that most teachers aren't willing to pay to be in the union. Perhaps it will cause some teachers to weigh how little the union has done for them anyway.

I did say "perhaps" LOL

[dljordan]

“critics argue it limits educators’ ability to organize”

We’re being oppressed if you don’t support us. These people are tone deaf.

[Leaning Right]

As my previous posts will show, I am not anti-union. Nevertheless, I think this is a good move by Idaho.

Laws often favor unions way too much. It’s no longer a level playing field.

Side point: In some states, joining a union was a mandatory thing. If you wanted the job, you had to join the union.

In 2018 a Supreme Court ruling made membership in public sector unions optional. Good ruling. But note that this ruling does not apply to private sector unions.

[1Old Pro]

excellent

[1Old Pro]

Soon they'll find out that most teachers aren't willing to pay to be in the union.

Many, but not most. Too many teachers are radical leftists.

[READINABLUESTATE]

So, they demand taxpayer money so they can organize in order to to demand more taxpayer money.
Got it.

[No name given]

Very.

[No name given]

My thoughts exactly.

[Seruzawa]

Eff those Ritalin pushers. Organize on your own effing time. Govt unions should be banned outright.

[pfflier]

critics argue it limits educators’ ability to organize.

And the downside is?? When I was teaching, the nea was constantly trying to force it's way into my wallet. Fortunately we weren't a closed shop and I joined a conservative teacher's union. Yes, they exist.

[bobonthejob]

Activist federal judge to block decision 3..2..1.

[unixfox]

Nobody should be FORCED to join a union. Unlike healthcare. /sarc

[Leaning Right]

> Soon they’ll find out that most teachers aren’t willing to pay to be in the union. <

Retired public school teacher here. I don’t have much good to say about my union. The union leadership is both woke and arrogant. And they manipulate union elections like you wouldn’t believe.

Anyway, membership in public sector unions is now optional. That’s thanks to an excellent 2018 Supreme Court ruling.

But I’d still advise teachers to choose their path carefully. I can’t say it happens everywhere. But in my corrupt school district, good teachers who chose not to join the union were often singled out and harassed by administrators. And more than a few were fired.

It’s a disgusting mess.

[verum ago]

while critics argue it limits educators’ ability to organize.

So? Why the hell should the taxpayers of Idaho be forced to support a private political organization that's directly opposed to their interests..?

[Myrddin]

It's more than just deduction of union dues for the paycheck. It's also engaging in union activities while "on the clock" for teaching duties. In an unrelated experience, I often saw telephone company employees who were union members engaged in "Telephone Pioneers" activities during what was "on the clock" time. The company was paying them to work and they were playing around doing "pioneer" things. The same annoyance applies to teachers engaged in pushing union issues when they should be teaching students.

[chickenlips]

I’m glad to see Idaho is following Florida’s lead.

[Seaplaner]

Good move, proud of our Governor Little and our state leg.

Next?

Why not FORBID teachers' unions from any (as in ANY) input or oversight on curricula, content, political indoctrination, sex indoctrination, gender ID or modification, and etc?

So much of what they promote is completely against what parents want, and so much of what they promote undermines true education.

Examples? Fuzzy math and sight words (in place of phonics) and a selectively censored/partisan, anti-American view of American History