Highlights: With Voter Suppression, the Right Wing Rolls Out a Dubious, Nationwide Attack on Americans; Right to Work or Right to Work for less? Debate heated in NH; TN: Bill limiting teachers union's role heads to Haslam; SB 5 opponents march toward signature goal; Gov. Rick Scott signs controversial election bill into law; Gov. Rick Snyder's opponents to rally in hopes of getting him recalled; full Scrooge Alert here http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/
All Around
With Voter Suppression, the Right Wing Rolls Out a Dubious, Nationwide Attack on Americans
Trumka Hits Back at Right-Wing ‘Canvas of Cruelty’
GOP Continues to Interfere With National Labor Relations Board
State budget battles are about more than cutting deficits
Asheville Citizen-Times
In Wisconsin, Walker proposed one such non-solution: revoking the collective bargaining rights of public employees. Citing an urgent need to compensate for Wisconsin's $140 million budget shortfall (which he helped create by handing enormous tax ...
New Hampshire
Right to Work or Right to Work for less? Debate heated in NH
Seacoastonline.com
Smith cites data offered by the Virginia-based National Right to Work ... income) states in 1977—2008 were free-bargaining states, including New Hampshire, ...
Michigan
Gov. Rick Snyder's opponents to rally in hopes of getting him recalled
Opponents of Gov. Rick Snyder and his agenda will gather at the state Capitol today to kick off a long-shot recall campaign and to rally opposition to the governor's budget proposals.
Teachers, others to protest Michigan budget plan
Labor unions are among those planning to protest against parts of Michigan's next state government budget proposal.
Capitol protesters say cuts in next year's budget are too high
The budget, expected to be approved soon, includes state aid cuts of up to $470 per student, although a district can get up to $100 per student back to defray retirement costs and up to another $100 for adopting so-called "best financial practices" such as contracting out non-instructional services.
Emergency manager bill sparks debate in Michigan
Michigan has for years used a state-appointed emergency manager system when troubled cities and schools ran aground financially. Benton Harbor's emergency manager, Joseph Harris, was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm more than a year ago. But the dynamics changed this year when a Republican-backed state law boosted the authority of emergency managers.
Ohio
Ohio Voters Support Repealing New Law Limiting Collective Bargaining
Center For American Progress
Scott Walker of Wisconsin generated with his outrageous move to strip public workers of collective bargaining rights. But perhaps less know of the opposition Gov. John Kasich of Ohio is getting for his equally outrageous attacks on bargaining rights ...
SB 5 opponents march toward signature goal
Columbus Business First
Backers of a push to repeal Ohio's collective bargaining law say they're inching closer to getting enough signatures to put the measure on the November ballot, the Toledo Blade reports. The We Are Ohio group pushing to repeal Senate Bill 5 as of Friday ...
Pennsylvania
State teachers union's new chief wants to bolster coalitions
The new president of the state's largest teachers union said he wants to work with the governor and other state officials to improve public education.
POLL: Lehigh Valley Corbett approval-disapproval: 39%-31%...
Philly district to close 13 schools...
Florida
Gov. Rick Scott signs controversial election bill into law
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday signed a controversial overhaul of the election laws that Republicans say is needed to prevent voter fraud and Democrats call a cynical act of partisanship to improve GOP chances in Florida next year.
Florida's governor signs assault on democracy into law
Not surprisingly, Gov. Rick Scott signed into law on Thursday pernicious election changes designed to benefit Republicans and suppress voting by minorities, college students and low-wage workers.
Indiana
State Legislatures Notch Major K-12 Policy Changes
Education Week News
An Indiana law limits teachers' collective bargaining to wage-and-benefits issues. Some school policy issues, like class sizes, must be discussed with teachers outside of bargaining. • In Idaho, a law restricts bargaining for teachers to wages and ...
Tennessee
Tennessee Project Labor Agreement Ban Sits on Governor’s Desk, Could Take Effect July 1st
TN: Bill limiting teachers union's role heads to Haslam
A compromise plan that reduces unions' role in representing teachers passed the state legislature Friday night, as lawmakers moved toward resolving a three-month debate on the eve of the end of session.
Wisconsin
GOP leaders urge Wisconsin Republican party members to take recalls seriously
WISCONSIN DELLS - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and other Republican leaders urged party members at their annual convention Saturday to take seriously the threat of losing control of the state Senate through recall elections.
Texas
Schools may lose $4B, but budget deal elusive
Funding for public schools would be cut by $4 billion over the next two years under an agreement by legislative budget negotiators, who worked into the night Thursday on other issues, including higher education.
Washington
WA: Workers' compensation settled
Even in a year of unusual bipartisanship at the Legislative Building, this stood out: Republicans and Democrats standing together to announce a deal on one of Olympia's thorniest issues, workers' compensation.
