Thursday, February 10, 2011

Highlights: PLA, Paycheck Deception legislation on the move in MN, IN, and KS. Missouri Right to Work hearings continue while Ohio GOP step up attacks on public sector employees. Indiana R2W talks heating up.

General anti-worker article

PLAs, Paycheck Deception and Public Employees: MN, IN and KS Slated for Major Hearings Today

JOBS IN JEOPARDY: Conservatives Taking Aim at Stimulus Funds of Projects in Progress

Missouri

Senate committee hears right-to-work talk

Missouri voters rejected the idea more than 32 years ago. But supporters say times have changed and Missouri is losing out on job opportunities because we're not a right-to-work state.

House OKs changes to workers' compensation

The state House endorsed legislation Tuesday designed to undo unexpected fallout from lawmakers' attempts six years ago to establish tougher standards for injured Missouri residents to qualify under the workers' compensation system.

Missouri Gains Union Membership

Bill seeks to end forced unionization
Joplin Independent
"It is clear that job producers and the workers who take those jobs are voting with their feet on the 'Right-to-Work' issue because they are moving to ...

Mo. senators consider 'right-to-work'
St. Louis Business Journal
State senators are considering legislation that would make Missouri a “right-to-work” state and bar workers from being required to pay dues to unions, ...

Right To Work Battle Begins
KTTS
The battle to turn Missouri into a right to work state has begun at the state capitol. Lawmakers heard from both sides of the issue which deals with forcing ...

seMissourian.com: Letter to the Editor: Missouri right-to-work (02 ...
Jason Crowell on his right-to-work proposal for Missouri. This is "one small step" in solving our complex economic problems. ...

Senate committee hears right-to-work talk | News Tribune
But supporters say times have changed and Missouri is losing out on job opportunities because we're not a right-to-work state. ...

Right to work hearing in Jefferson City | St. Louis Post-Dispatch
February 8, 2011 -- Missouri State Senator Luann Ridgeway presents her ... a hearing on right to work at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson city on ...

Indiana

Right to Work heating up at statehouse
Kokomo Perspective
by Tim Turner The debate over “Right to Work” is beginning to heat up at the Indiana Statehouse, and local union officials are starting to rally together. ...

COMMUNITY COMMENT: Legislation would hurt Indiana workers
Evansville Courier & Press
There are a number of bills in the Indiana Legislature that would have a ... There is also discussion of "right to work" legislation in the assembly which ...

LETTER: Daniels is waging war on teachers
Evansville Courier & Press
Dear Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels: This education reform that you and some ... Another area where you have a failing grade is the "right to work" law. ...

Others Start Paying Attention to Right-to-Work - Building A Better ...
The Indiana Chamber's right-to-work study has gained attention in ... have also been rumors of RTW talk in Kentucky, Wisconsin and Minnesota, among others. ...

Ohio

Ohio Senate Republicans move to wipe out collective bargaining for all state workers

Arguing that state and local governments need the ability to adjust to the new economic paradigm, Senate Republicans today unveiled details of the most sweeping attempt in 27 years to limit the power of public unions to negotiate terms of employment. Read More

Public-worker unions ready to fight GOP proposals

Signaling the war ahead, more than 800 firefighters, police, corrections officers and other public workers packed the Statehouse yesterday to display their opposition to a sweeping GOP-backed attempt to limit the power of public unions to negotiate pay and other terms of employment.

Nearly 30,000 Ohians whose jobs were shipped abroad could lose retraining benefits

Nearly 30,000 Ohioans laid off because of foreign trade competition are scheduled to lose significant training dollars and other benefits unless Congress acts this week to extend them.

Michigan

No raise for Michigan's nonunion employees

The Michigan Civil Service Commission on Wednesday rejected a plea by roughly 13,000 nonunionized employees for a 3 percent pay increase this year.

Iowa

Guest opinion column: Improve Iowa's business climate, tout work force
DesMoinesRegister.com
Our right-to-work law, coupled with the best work force in the nation, offer a very attractive opportunity for job growth. The House on Feb. ...

Maine

Bureau of Labor Education Issues Briefing Paper on 'Right-to-Work ...
ORONO – The Bureau of Labor Education at the University of Maine has issued a six page briefing paper discussing some of the pitfalls of “right-to-work...

MAJOR NEWS: New Hampshire House Committee approves R2W Bill; full house vote could come as early as next week. And, Missouri Legislature begins work on Right to Work proposals. And, a collective bargaining fight surfaces in Nebraska and Colorado. See these stories in the articles below.

New Hampshire

Right-to-work bill gets panel's okay
Concord Monitor
By Shira Schoenberg / Monitor staff A House committee yesterday recommended turning New Hampshire into a right-to-work state, in which employees cannot be ...

House panel backs bill to sap unions
Nashua Telegraph
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN CONCORD – A key House committee for the first time in history Tuesday endorsed having New Hampshire join 22 other “right-to-work” states ...

Hearing on Right To Work Legislation in New Hampshire ...
The New Hampshire legislature is holding a public hearing on Right To Work legislation on Thursday February 3rd at 10:30AM at the New Hampshire State House , ...

Cornerstone testifies in favor of HB 474; right to work bill ...
Cornerstone testifies in favor of HB 474; right to work bill ... Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey ...

Missouri

Missouri revisits 'right to work'
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The committee is considering a bill that would make Missouri the 23rd state to pass a "right to work" law. The measure would bar employers and workers from ...

Right to work fight begins in senate
Missourinet.com
by Bob Priddy on February 8, 2011 The battle about turning Missouri into a right to work state has begun at the capitol. But Governor Nixon already has sent ...

Right to Work Means More Than Jobs
The Right to Work bill (Senate Bill No. 1) is scheduled to be heard in the Missouri Senate Committee on General Laws this week. As the bill starts its long ...

Mo. Senate committee considers legislation to make Missouri 'right ...
A push to make Missouri a "right-to-work" state has started before an overflowing Senate committee room. Senators are considering legislation that would bar ...

Minnesota

February 10th a Day of Activism at the Minnesota State Capitol - Topix
Beginning at 10:00am in the House Hearing Rm in the basement of the State Office Building, there will be a hearing on making Minnesota a Right-to-Work State ...

House File 192 to receive House hearing | MAPE.org
MAPE opposes this bill because we believe the taxpayers of Minnesota deserve ... Recent studies show that workers in right-to-work states make more than 10 ...

Michigan

Proof That Right To Work Does Not Create Jobs….It Is More Partisan ...
The data shows that since 2007 “right to work” states are suffering job loss the same as free bargaining states such as Michigan. Passing “Right To Work...

Maine

Should the “right to work” law be passed in Maine?
Bangor Daily News
A law proposed in the Legislature would make Maine a “right to work” state, meaning that workers who benefit from union contracts would no longer have some ...

Pennsylvania

Right To Work (for less!) - Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
Right-to-Work (for less). o Oppose any and all legislation that will weaken unions and the process of collective bargaining ...

Ohio

States find targeting workers isn't easy | Daily Chronicle
In Ohio, Kasich has talked about trying to change state law so that public employee unions couldn't go to an outside arbitrator to decide contract disputes . “We are going to have collective-bargaining reform,” the Republican said during his election campaign. ... To make that happen, he talks about weakening the unions that represent 39000 workers – perhaps turning Wisconsin into a right -to-work state where labor unions can't force employees to be members. ...

Ohio.com - Cuts face resistance
To make that happen, he talks about weakening the unions that represent 39000 workers — perhaps turning Wisconsin into a right-to-work state where labor unions can't force employees to be members, or even getting rid of unions ...

Colorado

State senator to introduce bill ending union partnership agreements signed by Ritter

A state senator known for ripping labor unions will present a bill Monday terminating partnership agreements allowed under former Gov. Bill Ritter.

Nebraska

Bills to change public union system could affect 43,000 Nebraska workers

Labor unions push back on collective bargaining proposals

Nebraska's labor unions pushed back Monday on plans by some state lawmakers to change or abolish the Commission of Industrial Relations -- including two measures that would ban the government from engaging in collective bargaining for wages and benefits.

Idaho

Idaho lawmakers target unions

Idaho's labor unions are already the 97-pound weakling, but the Republican majority in the state Legislature is trying to kick more sand in their face.