Highlights: Massive rally is Wisconsin over the weekend opposing anti-worker bill; Union in Indiana continue demonstrations against GOP proposals; Kasich looks to privatize prisons and turnpike; Missouri unions rally against Right to Work legislation; Iowa House passes anti-collective bargaining bill; and Minnesota, Michigan, and Pennsylvania workers take caution

All Around

Nearly Identical Anti-Labor Bills Proposed In Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire ...
Think Progress
By Lee Fang at 1:00 pm Reporting for the blog Dirigo Blue, Gerald Weinand has discovered that a proposed “right to work” law in Maine mirrors similar proposals in several other states, like New Hampshire and Missouri. The legislation in Maine,

Republican tries to sell R2W: Sen. David Vitter says right to work makes state prosperous
NOLA.com
While many right-to-work Sunbelt states have boomed in population, according to the census, Louisiana's population grew 1.4 percent in the past decade, ahead of only Michigan and Rhode Island, two heavily unionized states. But while Louisiana and some

Wisconsin can look to Indiana for hints at public sector future
La Crosse Tribune
Bill would alter many collective bargaining aspects for public workers, including allowing employees to become 'free agents' and opt out of union representation altogether. Bill would make Missouri a 'right-to-work' state by giving workers at union

Wisconsin

Wis. Labor Protesters Say Next Fight At The Polls « CBS Minnesota
All of it was perfectly ok as long as the state dropped “right to work” and the union leadership got to continue to force .... Minnesota Business Listings

Undaunted! More Than 100000 Wisconsinites Rally "To Take Our State Back ...
The Nation. (blog)
Arizona is a right to work state fer gawds sake! Sheesh, don't get me started. tinman, I'd say the "damage" that Raggedstep doesn't want me to perpetuate here in Arizona has already happened, with Loughner, Jan Brewer, SB1070, Russell Pearce

WI: Democratic senators return to Madison to tell crowd fight isn't over
Unbowed and unrepentant, 14 Democratic state senators returned to the Capitol on Saturday and received a tumultuous welcome from tens of thousands of pro-labor demonstrators.

Minnesotans Join Protestors in Wisconsin
KAALtv.com
I don't want what's happening in Wisconsin to happen here in Minnesota," ... up in the state right now who would like to see us go to a right to work state

Indiana

Ind. Republicans taking wide swipe at unions
NECN
Democrats were able to repeal Indiana's right-to-work law in 1965, which was the last time their party controlled the governor's office and both chambers of the General Assembly as the GOP now does. But the GOP-led redistricting process could make the

Local Union Workers Talk About Statehouse Rally
NewsTalk 1010 WCSI
Woods said in the right-to-work states workers make an average of two dollars and seventeen cents less and residents of those states are 17.4% more likely to be uninsured through their corporation. He also said the bill will damage unions

Statehouse protesters persevere
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Observers say the protests are unprecedented for their frequency and sustained presence throughout the session, but Republican lawmakers seem unfazed by the numbers of people involved and have so far scrapped only the controversial right-to-work bill.

A look at labor bills in Indiana Legislature
Muncie Star Press
Right to work: Boycott by House Democrats started after a House committee advanced a bill that would prohibit union representation fees from being a condition of employment at most companies. GOP leaders say the issue is dead for this year

Indiana House leaders holding fast, not ho;ding their tongues
Evansville Courier & Press
22, Long said the "right to work" measure that they initially cited as the instigator was a "mistake" that never should have been brought up this session. He declared it dead in his chamber. Bauer said that since then, some House Democrats have talked

Democratic boycott of Indiana House comes amid wide swipe by Republicans ...
Greenfield Daily Reporter
TOM DAVIES AP INDIANAPOLIS — The political showdown in the Indiana Statehouse got its start with a contentious "right-to-work" bill, but it is being kept alive by a wide array of labor-related proposals that Democrats hadn't been able to stop

Ohio

OH: Kasich administration source says five state-owned prisons and state turnpike to be sold in next state budget
Gov. John Kasich has plans to sell five state prisons and lease the state turnpike to the highest bidder in his state budget plan that will be rolled out Tuesday, a source in the Kasich administration said.

Supporters rally in W.Va. for Wis., Ohio unions
Charleston Gazette
"The epicenters of this movement is in Wisconsin and Ohio," Berger said. "If they pass Senate Bill 5 [in Ohio], then they will be coming after the prevailing wage, will support right-to-work legislation and strip other labor laws

Minnesota

Minn. GOP senators take aim at public worker benefits

Just days after Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed landmark legislation stripping public workers of bargaining rights, lawmakers in Minnesota say they want to roll back benefits for public sector workers in the Gopher state.

Minn. GOP plans hit agencies, social services

Republicans striving to balance Minnesota's budget by reducing state spending offered a roadmap Thursday that would most acutely affect social service programs, aid to local governments, allowances for colleges and accounts for operating state agencies.

Pennsylvania

School budgets crashing without stimulus

When the federal economic stimulus money was allotted two years ago, there was both excitement about getting millions of dollars for Pennsylvania and fear of falling off the funding cliff when the money runs out in September.

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board says it's operating as normal despite privatization push

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board members stressed it's business as usual within its agency as Gov. Tom Corbett pushes to privatize the state liquor industry.

Political battle over vouchers

On cold days this winter, some did not have socks. Others wore shoes that did not fit. Too many to count did not have tissues to wipe their noses when they walked from apartments, rowhouses and homeless shelters in Allentown's poorest neighborhood to Central Elementary School.

Letters: Why is Will Bunch considered a 'reporter'? | Philadelphia Daily News ...
Philadelphia Daily News
"Right to work" legislation proves the hypocrisy of the left. The rallying cry of support for the unions rings hollow when the employees in non-right-to-work states are forced to join them. Liberal = don't worry about thinking for yourself

Michigan

Reader's view: Resolutions wanted
Midland Daily News
You recently advocated for what are referred to as "Right-To-Work" (RTW) laws. I disagree. Each person's views are shaped by life experience. Most of my adult life was spent working in, for or with unions. This included being a member as a worker, ...

Dozens protest emergency manager bills at Capitol
Lansing State Journal
The state Legislature also is reviewing bills that would make Michigan a right-to-work state and would ban union-only project labor agreements. Nicholas Budimar, a picketer from East Grand Rapids who is a member of the Teaching Assistants Union at

New Hampshire

It's union-busting
Concord Monitor
Deputy Speaker Pamela Tucker's comments that passing repressive "right to work" legislation, House Bill 474, will result in New Hampshire's becoming

Just plain wrong
Concord Monitor
It originates in Virginia with the National Right to Work Committee, and it has failed in New Hampshire countless times. It does nothing to protect workers

Around the City of Portsmouth
Seacoastonline.com
In 2010, Shaheen stood in a similar spot to announce the New Hampshire ... Topics will include the Right to Work legislation, state retirement system

Missouri

Unions rally against repeal of "right to work" bill-NBCAction.com
The proposed legislation would make Missouri a "right to work" state, meaning union membership would not be required to get or keep a job

Missouri to debate 'right-to-work' bill
Bizjournals.com
Missouri lawmakers are expected to debate legislation Monday that would make Missouri a "right-to-work" state where contracts that make union dues a condition of employment are illegal. Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense

'Right to work' equals jobs
Southeast Missourian
That is why, in the Missouri Senate, we are moving forward with several plans this session that are part of an equation to help employers put Missourians back to work in good-paying jobs with benefits. Making Missouri a "right to work" state is part of ...

Maine

Right to Work doesn't help workers, it benefits the Wal-Mart's and ...
Lewiston Sun Journal
Making the rounds here in Maine are at least two pieces of legislation (LD 788, Maine's Right to Work Legislation and LD 309) that will weaken our economy,

Maine is not Marden's
VillageSoup Belfast
For what such others are saying, I encourage you to read Maine's local, ... We all know “right to work” is a euphemism for union busting and taking away

Iowa

IA: Iowa House passes union bill after emotional debate
The Iowa House on Friday passed legislation to limit negotiating rights of public employee unions, a development that climaxed three days of emotional debate and was greeted by shouting from the spectator balconies.