Mo. House endorses ‘right-to-work' for police

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House has voted to bar the payment of union dues as a condition of employment for law enforcement officers.

The measure that supporters call "right-to-work" was approved with an 88-64 vote Wednesday. It would apply to all law enforcement agencies and organizations.

Unions representing police officers currently can charge fees to nonmembers for costs associated with collective bargaining. Unions are required under federal law to represent all workers in a bargaining unit even if they are not members.

Supporters say the measure provides freedom for police officers to decide whether to pay fees to unions. Opponents say it could deprive unions of financial resources used for collective bargaining.