All Around

Union battle in the Midwest a pull for political power

The labor fight blazing in Madison, Wis., and other state capitals is more than a feud over budgets or the rights of government employees.

Wisconsin

WI: Budget-repair bill approved in early-morning vote
After a bitter, 61-hour debate that was the longest in living memory, the sleep-starved state Assembly voted in just seconds early Friday to approve a watershed proposal repealing most union bargaining rights held by public workers.

Tempers explode as Assembly passes controversial budget repair bill

Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly took the first significant action on their plan to strip collective bargaining rights from most public workers, abruptly passing the measure early Friday morning before sleep-deprived Democrats realized what was happening.

Lawmakers approve rule that could halt sleepovers in Capitol

Come Saturday, nearly two weeks after it started, the non-stop, drum-circle chant-a-thon that has consumed the state Capitol could officially end.

Wisconsin lawmakers take step toward resolution of budget standoff
Washington Post
Mitch Daniels (R) called on GOP lawmakers to abandon their "right to work" bill that would have made it a misdemeanor for an employer to require workers to become or remain members of a labor union. Even in Wisconsin - where more than 60000

Letter: Wisconsin should be right-to-work state
Dubuque Telegraph Herald
One such technique is to adopt right-to-work laws whereby membership in a union is voluntary rather than mandatory and employers no longer have to collect dues from the union members. Governors of other right-to-work states claim this is an asset when ...

Missouri

Missouri activists, unions say yes to cost-of-living
So-called right-to-work legislation, the attempt to repeal child labor laws, English-only provisions and attacks on our minimum wage! They have gone too far. We have to stop them." Brown added, "The right-wing extremists did not expect this kind of

Missouri Chamber calls for right-to-work law, Prime Buzz | Midwest ...
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce threw down the gauntlet today and called for the General Assembly to pass a right-to-work law. From a chamber statement

Pennsylvania

Pa. labor leaders foresee no attack on bargaining rights, pledge to fight 'right-to-work' bill

Leaders of organized labor say they'll fight any "right-to-work" bill to ban mandatory union membership in

Pennsylvania.

Corbett Would Sign Right-to-Work Legislation - Altoona, PA - News
Making Pennsylvania a Right to Work state would prohibit both the public and private sectors from requiring workers to join a union. ...

Indiana

Unions to continue protests after House adjourns without Dems

After House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, adjourned the session until Monday, labor supporters on Thursday cheered the actions of House Democrats and said they were committed to continuing protests at the Statehouse.

Gov. Daniels signs unemployment bill into law

Gov. Mitch Daniels signed into law a new effort to fix Indiana's bankrupt unemployment insurance fund, by raising taxes on businesses and cutting weekly payments to unemployed workers.

'Right-to-work' dead: GOP leaders
Evansville Courier & Press
Originally, Republicans were unwilling to back down on right-to-work legislation. "I think this is a bill that we as a whole assembly need to look at. It has tremendous economic benefits for Indiana," said Rep. Sue Ellspermann, R-Ferdinand. ...

Senate will not vote on right-to-work
nwitimes.com
INDIANAPOLIS | Even if the Indiana House somehow managed to salvage the right-to-work proposal that led to this week's walkout of Democratic representatives, it will not be voted on in the Senate. Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, ...

Michigan

MI: Judge rules unconstitutional forcing state workers to pay retiree health care
State employees Thursday applauded a judge's ruling that struck down a law requiring them to put 3 percent of their pay toward the cost of retiree health care, but administration officials said an appeal is likely.

Podcast: Why Rick Snyder won't pick same fights as embattled Wisconsin governor
MLive.com
Rick Snyder is not Ohio's John Kasich or Wisconsin's Scott Walker, and Indiana's Mitch Daniels saying he would not send state police to round up Democratic lawmakers in his state seeking to block a vote on a right to work bill there. ...

New Hampshire

Republicans accused of targeting labor
Nashua Telegraph
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN The head of New Hampshire's AFL-CIO union Thursday claimed the Republican move to support right to work and other anti-union legislation ...

State budget timeline change supported

A bill that would bring major changes to the state's budgeting timeline enjoyed strong support in its debut Wednesday, despite its $1 million price tag and its failure in each of the last two legislative sessions.

Minnesota

Minn. teachers union launches media campaign

The state teachers union, Education Minnesota, is launching a new media campaign to support the state's children and their schools