NASHVILLE – Thousands of Tennessee teachers will lose their collective bargaining powers while corporations can now contribute directly to state and local political campaigns under two GOP legislative initiatives signed into law by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.
Both laws take effect immediately.
The teachers bill, which critics said was part of a Republican effort to break the main teachers’ union, the Tennessee Education Association, abolishes collective bargaining now conducted in 92 of 136 school districts.
It replaces traditional bargaining by affiliates of the main teachers union, the Tennessee Education Association, with a concept Republicans called “collaborative conferencing.”
The corporate contribution legislation was opposed by most Democrats. It lets Tennessee join two dozen other states that permit companies to give money to candidates.