Sizemore shifts his anti-union campaign to the local level

Bill Sizemore has found a new outlet for his anti-union obsession. Instead of pursuing measures to restrict the use of union dues for political representation at the state level, he has filed 17 anti-union initiatives in cities and counties around Oregon.

His new filings are copies of Measures 98 and 59, which were rejected by voters in statewide elections in 1998 and 2000. Those measures attempted to restrict the use of payroll-deducted funds for political purposes, including sponsoring or opposing ballot measures.

Sizemore’s new effort has caught the attention of AFT-Oregon and the Oregon Education Association, which are still seeking payment of a $2.5 million judgment against him for racketeering activities in conjunction with Measure 59.

So Sizemore’s political fundraising at the local level could lead to new claims on his organization, the ironically renamed Oregon Taxpayers Union, to settle up with AFT and OEA.

The Oregon AFL-CIO pointed out that if Sizemore qualifies any of his measures on a city or county ballot, he is likely to learn another lesson — that state law pre-empts local ordinances when it comes to bargaining rights and payroll deductions.

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