Highlights: Right to Work officially OFF THE TABLE in Maine; Wisconsin GOP wants fake Democrats in recall elections; PA Lawmakers seek ban of teacher strikes; OH Petition on track to kill collective bargaining law; NH negotiators agree on pension reform bill; Project Labor Agreement Hearing Scheduled for Today in Massachusetts; full Scrooge Alert at http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/

National

US: 15 states try to cut back on Medicaid programs
Medicaid provides health care to people with low incomes, who also meet certain other categories. And while the federal government pays more than half of the bill, the share the states pay consumes 22 percent of the average state's budget.

Republicans Stand With Workers, Help Democrats Trample Anti-Worker Amendments in the House

Maine

"Right to work" bill put off until next year
WGME
... which would have changed the law to require only voluntary state union members to pay dues, not all state workers. The state employees association called Monday's news a victory for Maine workers. the bill but agreed with the decision to kill it.

Lawmakers back off contentious labor union bill
Bangor Daily News
The vote to “carry over” LD 309 until next year came four days after hundreds of union members crowded the halls of the State House to protest a so-called “right-to-work” bill they claim was aimed at weakening the state employees union and, therefore, ...

Republicans delay vote on hot-button labor bill until next session
Lewiston Sun Journal
The amended right-to-work bill was designed to reverse decisions under Democratic-controlled legislatures that forced the state to collect "fair share" fees from nonunion workers. Opponents of fair-share say workers shouldn't be forced to pay unions ...

Ohio

Foes of Senate Bill 5 plan motorcycle rally in capital
Columbus Dispatch
Veteran political reporters examine Ohio politics in this weekly podcast. TOLEDO -- Opponents of Senate Bill 5, the law that weakens collective bargaining for public employees in Ohio, are putting together a motorcycle rally in Columbus for Saturday. ...

Supporters, opponents share views on SB 5 at town hall forum
Dayton Daily News
By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 12:08 AM Tuesday, June 7, 2011 KETTERING — Speakers opposed to the new Ohio law curtailing collective bargaining rights for public employees outnumbered those who favor the controversial law at a town hall meeting ...

Petition on track to kill collective bargaining law
WKSU News
by WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT BILL COHEN Leaders of that drive to get Ohio voters to kill the state's new collective bargaining law say their petition drive is on track. Unions and their allies say they're confident they'll turn in at least ...

Pennsylvania

3,800 personnel face layoffs...

Lawmakers seek ban of teacher strikes
Tribune Review
Their announcement will reignite the decades-old debate about the merits of collective bargaining rights for public employees. Supporters say a strike ban would protect taxpayers and students from the economic interests of private unions, ...

CORBETT AGENDA SLOWS...

New Hampshire

NH negotiators agree on pension reform bill
BusinessWeek
The two sides agreed to drop provisions limiting collective bargaining and instead plan to study the issue. The public pension system covers more than 50000 active and nearly 26000 retired state and municipal workers, teachers, police and firefighters.

Wisconsin

Republicans ask Wisconsin Supreme Court justices to act in union case

Attorneys for Republican lawmakers asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday to overturn a judge's order blocking the state's polarizing union powers law. Democrats urged the justices to uphold the ruling or make the GOP go through the usual — and slow — appeals process.

Supreme Court Justice: 'Where Does It Stop?'
Chippewa Herald
In February, opponents of Wisconsin's union reform legislation were welcomed into a Senate hearing room, while lawmakers discussed the legislation eliminating many collective bargaining privileges for some government employees.

Wisconsin GOP wants fake Democrats in recall elections
Herald Times Reporter
Scott Walker's bill to eliminate most collective bargaining for public workers. The polarizing bill sparked weeks of protests at the Capitol earlier this year, and Democratic senators fled to Illinois in an ultimately futile attempt to block a vote on ...

Massachussets

Project Labor Agreement Hearing Scheduled for Today in Massachusetts

Florida

Democrats jump on 'buyer's remorse'
Washington Times
Critics chalk up the figures to the Republican's efforts to curb collective bargaining rights for public employees. He sparked a pro-union backlash in March by signing into law a measure that prevents government workers from negotiating wages, ...

Illinois

IL: With road projects in danger, Gov. Pat Quinn to call special session
Facing the prospect that construction on roads statewide would have to be halted, Gov. Pat Quinn said Monday he will call Illinois legislators back to Springfield for a special session to approve spending for the state's capital construction program.

Stick to Your Guns and Fight Like Hell