JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed legislation that would have required public employees to give annual written consent before union dues could be deducted from their paychecks.
Nixon said in a veto message Tuesday the bill would have placed what he called "unnecessary burdens on public employees for the purpose of weakening labor organizations."
The Democratic governor said the bill would have unfairly singled out one group of workers. He noted it would not have imposed similar requirements on other automatic paycheck deductions, such as savings accounts for college or retirement.
The bill also would have required public employee unions to get a separate, annual written permission to use dues for political purposes.
Republican lawmakers who supported the bill said it would have protected the rights of individual union members.