Union Members Hold Town Hall over Right to Work
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Union members voiced their fierce opposition to the legislation that would take away union’s abilities to collect dues from those who receive their services.
Michael O’Brien, the United Steelworkers sub-district director for the area that includes Kosciusko County, led things off.
According to O’Brien, those who don’t wish to be a part of a union can opt out but still pay a fee that covers administrative costs when it comes to things like arbitration and training.
O’Brien said the average cost to a union for a single arbitration case is between $1,500-$2,000.
He also said that union members who don’t want their money going to certain political action groups can make sure it doesn’t.
O’Brien said that should the legislation pass, it would affect non-union workplaces because the wage of a place like DePuy, which has a union, sets the wage for the area and that wage would drop.
“If you bring in three $10-an-hour jobs but lose two $30-an-hour jobs, that hurts the economy,” said O’Brien. “Small business will be hurt.”
Tony Flora, North Central AFL-CIO, said the legislation is moving rapidly.
With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the statehouse will be back in session Tuesday.
At that point, said Flora and several others, union members need to have contacted their state representatives to voice their opposition to the legislation.
O’Brien, Flora and others said they are also pushing for a referendum to go before the state concerning Right To Work.
“Let’s put it on a ballot and let the people decide,” said O’Brien. “And if we don’t do a good enough job getting the word out about how this bill will hurts businesses, then shame on us.”
Most reports out of Indianapolis show that the Republican-held House and Senate have enough votes to push the legislation through.
O’Brien said that Indiana had previously been a Right To Work state in the 1950s but that since “it didn’t bring any jobs to the state” it was repealed after several years.
Union members at Sunday’s meeting also point to a piece of campaign literature from Governor Mitch Daniels’ first run for governor in 2004.
The letter was addressed to Bill Dugan, International Union of Operating Engineers.
In the letter, Daniels thanked Dugan for his support for the now-governor’s bid for Indiana’s chief executive position.
It also states:
“As I have indicated to you in person, I understand your membership’s support for the current Indiana law providing a common construction (prevailing) wage for many state contracts as well as your viewpoint that no need exists to enact a ‘right to work’ statute in our state. I’m in agreement on both counts.”
Union members said Sunday that the legislation was purely a political move to drain money from political action committees that typically go to pro-union Democrats.
“This is a partisan political agenda,” said Flora.
Flora also said the legislation excludes public sector employees like teachers and police officers.
Union members said they extended invitations to State Reps. Dave Wolkins and Rebecca Kubacki Thursday evening.
Neither representative was at Sunday’s meeting.
Wolkins told the Times-Union this morning that he wasn’t informed of the meeting until Saturday and was planning on attending, but was in the hospital Sunday and didn’t leave until today.
Kubacki said the email sent to her was sent to a legislative assistant that is no longer in her office and by the time she was alerted to the meeting it was too late.
“I truly feel being a Right To Work state gives us a competitive edge and puts us on a level playing field with other Right To Work states. It really allows us to go out and go after jobs,” said Kubacki. “What good is it to have a strong union if no one is working? It’s not about whether unions benefit or not. It’s about getting as many people back to work because then we all win. It’s about what’s best for Indiana. If I truly didn’t believe it didn’t give us an edge I wouldn’t vote for it.
“It’s about what do we that’s best for the entire community, the entire state,” said Kubacki.
Local attorney David Kolbe was at Sunday’s meeting and framed the legislation in a different way.
“It might be helpful to frame the political argument in what it really is,” said Kolbe. “It’s about shooting money to the top 1 percent.”
Union representative George Dockery said it isn’t just a Republican or Democrat issue.
Dockery said he has voted Republican and urged those in attendance to visit www.lunchpailrepublicans.com to see a list of Republicans who are against legislation like Right To Work.[[In-content Ad]]
Union members voiced their fierce opposition to the legislation that would take away union’s abilities to collect dues from those who receive their services.
Michael O’Brien, the United Steelworkers sub-district director for the area that includes Kosciusko County, led things off.
According to O’Brien, those who don’t wish to be a part of a union can opt out but still pay a fee that covers administrative costs when it comes to things like arbitration and training.
O’Brien said the average cost to a union for a single arbitration case is between $1,500-$2,000.
He also said that union members who don’t want their money going to certain political action groups can make sure it doesn’t.
O’Brien said that should the legislation pass, it would affect non-union workplaces because the wage of a place like DePuy, which has a union, sets the wage for the area and that wage would drop.
“If you bring in three $10-an-hour jobs but lose two $30-an-hour jobs, that hurts the economy,” said O’Brien. “Small business will be hurt.”
Tony Flora, North Central AFL-CIO, said the legislation is moving rapidly.
With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the statehouse will be back in session Tuesday.
At that point, said Flora and several others, union members need to have contacted their state representatives to voice their opposition to the legislation.
O’Brien, Flora and others said they are also pushing for a referendum to go before the state concerning Right To Work.
“Let’s put it on a ballot and let the people decide,” said O’Brien. “And if we don’t do a good enough job getting the word out about how this bill will hurts businesses, then shame on us.”
Most reports out of Indianapolis show that the Republican-held House and Senate have enough votes to push the legislation through.
O’Brien said that Indiana had previously been a Right To Work state in the 1950s but that since “it didn’t bring any jobs to the state” it was repealed after several years.
Union members at Sunday’s meeting also point to a piece of campaign literature from Governor Mitch Daniels’ first run for governor in 2004.
The letter was addressed to Bill Dugan, International Union of Operating Engineers.
In the letter, Daniels thanked Dugan for his support for the now-governor’s bid for Indiana’s chief executive position.
It also states:
“As I have indicated to you in person, I understand your membership’s support for the current Indiana law providing a common construction (prevailing) wage for many state contracts as well as your viewpoint that no need exists to enact a ‘right to work’ statute in our state. I’m in agreement on both counts.”
Union members said Sunday that the legislation was purely a political move to drain money from political action committees that typically go to pro-union Democrats.
“This is a partisan political agenda,” said Flora.
Flora also said the legislation excludes public sector employees like teachers and police officers.
Union members said they extended invitations to State Reps. Dave Wolkins and Rebecca Kubacki Thursday evening.
Neither representative was at Sunday’s meeting.
Wolkins told the Times-Union this morning that he wasn’t informed of the meeting until Saturday and was planning on attending, but was in the hospital Sunday and didn’t leave until today.
Kubacki said the email sent to her was sent to a legislative assistant that is no longer in her office and by the time she was alerted to the meeting it was too late.
“I truly feel being a Right To Work state gives us a competitive edge and puts us on a level playing field with other Right To Work states. It really allows us to go out and go after jobs,” said Kubacki. “What good is it to have a strong union if no one is working? It’s not about whether unions benefit or not. It’s about getting as many people back to work because then we all win. It’s about what’s best for Indiana. If I truly didn’t believe it didn’t give us an edge I wouldn’t vote for it.
“It’s about what do we that’s best for the entire community, the entire state,” said Kubacki.
Local attorney David Kolbe was at Sunday’s meeting and framed the legislation in a different way.
“It might be helpful to frame the political argument in what it really is,” said Kolbe. “It’s about shooting money to the top 1 percent.”
Union representative George Dockery said it isn’t just a Republican or Democrat issue.
Dockery said he has voted Republican and urged those in attendance to visit www.lunchpailrepublicans.com to see a list of Republicans who are against legislation like Right To Work.[[In-content Ad]]
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