Organized labor unions are facing the most direct challenges to their
financial and political clout since President Reagan broke up the union
of air traffic controllers almost 30 years ago!!!!
The Industrial Midwest has long been seen as a union stronghold. It
is so vital to the Democrats that it reportedly holds the key to President
Obama's re-election prospects. Republicians are trying to roll back the
powers of not just public-employee unions but also the bargaining and
due-collecting power of groups that represent auto workers and
carpenters. The Democratic member of Indiana's House of
Representatives refused to show up for work in an effort to block
debate on a Republican backed right to work bill that would give
employees the ability to opt out of paying union dues even in a
union-represented shop (laws that are already in force in 22 states.)
Democratic members of Wisconsin's Senate continue their boycott of
the legislative session, effectively blocking action on proposals to curtail
bargaining power for state public unions. Governor Walker said 1,500
state workers can losetheir jobs by July if his proposal doesn't pass.
Republicans in Michigan are working on a bill to make the home of GM
and Ford a right-to-work state.
Lawmakers in Ohio have sparked widespread protests with proposals
to restrict collective bargaining rights or to weaken the grip of private
sector unions thate represent more than a million workers.
Several new governors ran campaigns promising to go after public
union benefits and to weaken their bargaining power. Governor Walker
and other Republicans say that they have no choice as state struggle to
balance their budgets they must cover huge budget gaps. Governor
John Kasich of Ohio is pushing similar measure and stated that he does
not consider it to be an assault on the Unions, as President Obama
called it, but rather a necessary financial reality.
Guests of Meet the Press on Sunday had this comment for President
Obama:
Balance the Federal Deficit before you criticize these prolific
State Governors for taking the appropriate action. Touche!!!!!
Sheila McKinney
