By AP/KWMU
St. Louis – A labor union is in court to try to force Secretary of State Matt Blunt to take the needed step to allow collection of union dues from some state workers.
Governor Holden and the unions have been fighting with Blunt and the Republican-led Legislature over the issue for more than three years.
Blunt is the Republican running for governor against Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill.
A group of residents who are also leaders in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union sued Blunt.
They want a judge to force Blunt to publish a rule allowing unions to collect dues from non-union employees, in units covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Publishing of the rule in the Missouri Register, a duty of the secretary of state, is required before it can take effect.