Highlights: PA Gov proposes 4% pay cut for teachers, while State House members introduce Right to Work and other anti-worker bills; WI Supreme Court race goes to likely recount while Dems pic up Walker’s old seat; NH Senate begins work on R2W; MI Judge says health costs increases for teachers unconstitutional; Montana legislature votes to end same-day voter registration; IN GOP Targets Fragile Gains of Home-Based Caregivers; Full Scrooge Alert here http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/
All Around
The importance of unions
... like Wisconsin's, it affects about twice as many workers, including police and firemen. Bills restricting the rights of workers unions to bargain are also in development in other states. In Indiana, a right-to-work bill, which prohibits anyone from
Wisconsin
On Topic: Win or lose, Dems say Kloppenburg's race is a sign of hope against Walker
The Supreme Court race may officially be a nonpartisan contest, but Democratic big guns turned out in force Tuesday night for Supreme Court challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg's party at the Edgewater Hotel.
WI: Supreme Court race still too close to call, Prosser has narrow lead
Justice David Prosser clung to a narrow lead over Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg in the state Supreme Court race early Wednesday, after a hard-fought campaign dominated by political forces and outside interest groups.
Liberals weren't the only motivated voters in Supreme Court race
It was a blistering campaign, lousy with misleading attack ads, innuendo, even vulgarities. And the attacks, launched mostly by groups unconnected with the campaigns of the actual Supreme Court candidates, worked.
Pennsylvania
Press Conference of Daryl Metcalfe and others introducing Right to Work and other anti-union bills: http://media2.pahousegop.com/Generator.asp?videoname=417578476.wmv
Pennsylvania Lawmaker Wants To End Mandatory Union Dues For State ...
Butler County House Republican Daryl Metcalfe said he does not believe the turmoil in Wisconsin over union legislation will make it more difficult to pass his legislation. Just the opposite, “I think what's happened in Wisconsin, ... Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Republican majority leaders, was asked to handicap the prospects for the legislation in the House, “The right-to-work legislation is definitely something that will be looked at, but the immediate priority
PA: Gov. Corbett proposes 4 percent pay cut to state's largest employee union
Teachers might have bristled at Gov. Tom Corbett's request for a one-year pay freeze, but many state workers might well be envying teachers right now.
New Hampshire
Battle over right-to-work legislation intensifies in the NH Senate
Nashua Telegraph
State law does not require anyone to join a union, but unions that negotiate a “closed shop” in that workplace can make nonmembers make fair share payments to support the costs of collective bargaining. The House of Representatives passed this measure
Sides make case on labor bill - NashuaTelegraph.com
CONCORD – New Hampshire would become the only state north of Virginia with a right-to-work. ... State law does not require anyone to join a union, but unions that negotiate a “closed shop” in that workplace can make nonmembers make fair share payments to support the costs of collective bargaining
NH: Right-to-work reaches Senate
New Hampshire would become the only state north of Virginia with a right-to-work law should the state Senate follow the lead of the House of Representatives that already embraced it.
In New Hampshire, Right to Worker Claims 'Utterly' Without Merit ...
Workers also are less likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance and employer-sponsored pensions. A bill to force right-to-work-for-less was introduced this morning in the Pennsylvania State House. Pennsylvania is the 13th state
Ohio
SB5 Has Cost the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Three More Members, Bringing Total Defections to Six
Ohio Valley blog Vindy reports that the Ohio Chamber of Commerce has continued to lose support as a result of its endorsement of SB5, the Ohio bill that strips public employees of collective bargaining: Early this week, two Youngstown law firms — Heller, Maas, Moro & Magill Co. L.P.A., and Green Haines Sgambati Co. L.P.A.
GOP revamp would alter Medicaid
WASHINGTON -- A new House Republican budget plan for the federal fiscal year that begins in October would provide Ohio officials with greater power to design their Medicaid program, but it would make it more difficult for hundreds of thousands of uninsured state residents to obtain health coverage.
800 rally against Kasich's proposal for cuts to schools, social services
Some 800 nursing home workers, child care providers, librarians, and students Tuesday held the first of what is likely to be many rallies protesting expected budget cuts.
SB 5 supporters slow to organize
Will the real leader of the pro-Senate Bill 5 movement please stand up?
Indiana
Ind. Gov. Daniels plans DC speech on education
Chicago Tribune
Daniels is backing numerous education changes moving through the Legislature, including an expansion of charter schools, limiting collective bargaining for teachers and starting a voucher system using taxpayer money to help parents send their children
GOP Targets Fragile Gains of Home-Based Caregivers
The Indypendent
Scott Walker is not alone in bashing public workers these days. In the view of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, collective bargaining has transformed civil servants into “a new privileged class.
Court ruling on school money stirs voucher bill debate
U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week is already stirring debate on possible ramifications of controversial legislation that would create a school voucher program in Indiana.
Maine
The Maddow Blog - Maine pol: Put those kids to work
Maine's not a "Right to Work" state, yet. It is on Governor Loony's agenda, ... Looking forward to seeing the implications that these Maine GOP actions have
Florida
Not-So-Great Scott: Despite Awful Polling, Florida’s Governor Is Sticking to the Right-Wing Playbook
Montana
Montana lawmakers end same-day voter registration
The Montana Legislature has passed a bill that would end same-day voter registration and move the last day voters could register to the Friday before Election Day.
Alabama
The Alabama House of Representatives today passed a plan that supporters say could be used in federal court to challenge the health care overhaul law passed by Congress last year.
Michigan
GREAT LETTER: The attack on unions is an attack on everyone
Kalamazoo Gazette - MLive.com
This attack on unions and collective bargaining is an attack on you. Much of what the middle class has acquired is directly because of union negotiations with management. As the unions grew so did the middle class. Haven't you wondered why there seems
Judge strikes down law forcing teachers to pay 3 percent for health care
A state Court of Claims judge has struck down a law passed last year to deduct up to 3 percent of school employees' pay to cover future retiree health care costs.
3% wage reduction for school retiree healthcare ruled unconstitutional
A law requiring Michigan school employees to pay 3 percent of their wages for retiree health care has been declared unconstitutional.
Maryland
MD: State workers decry new pension plan
Maryland's General Assembly is poised to make the deepest cuts to the state's retirement system in nearly three decades, asking most of the roughly 170,000 teachers and government employees to pay more into a pension plan that is about to become less generous.
