Sunday’s RTW Activities in Evansville

By: Tim Eckels

Indiana State Representatives Gail Riecken (D) and Kreg Battles (D) hosted a field hearing Sunday afternoon to provide local laborers an opportunity to vocalize their objections to the controversial Right-to-Work legislation currently being proposed by Indiana Republicans. The crowd of over 400 people spilled into the hallways of the C.K. Newsome Center after the gym reached its capacity. County Commissioner Steve Melcher and City Council members Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley and Missy Mosby were in attendance.

Representative Battles stated that he has never seen a bill trying to be pushed through so quickly. He claimed that the Republican time-line for this bill had it being proposed this past Wednesday, approved by both houses and signed into law by Monday, January 9th. This unprecedented expedition is what prompted state Democrats to skip the legislative session in Indianapolis this week. The Indiana House of Representatives is comprised of 60 Republicans and 40 Democrats. The Republican majority has enough votes to pass the bill but a quorum of 67 legislators is required to conduct any official business. According to Battles, by staying out of session the Democrats have bought time for their constituents to be heard.

In a press conference at the Vanderburgh County Republican Party Headquarters on Sunday, Chairman Wayne Parke shared his contempt for the state Democrats recent actions. “It is very disturbing that Democrat State Representatives Gail Riecken and Kreg Battles have decided to take their first paychecks, but refuse to show up for work so the House Chamber can start its official business”, says Parke. “It would appear they are not only against the Right-to-Work bill, but against working period.”

Parke claims that the bill would only affect approximately 10% of Indiana workers. He says it will not cost Indiana jobs, but will actually bring jobs to Indiana. He also says the bill will have no negative impact on workers’ safety nor will it reduce hourly pay. The three-page bill, according to Parke, simply forbids unions to force workers to pay union dues.

Democrats are most concerned about the repercussions of the Right-to-Work legislation. Speakers at Sunday’s hearing called the bill nothing more than an attempt to break up unions. Unions are already legally bound to represent any worker in a unionized workplace, regardless of whether that worker pays dues or not. Democrats say that because the proposed legislation allows employees to opt out of paying dues it ultimately weakens the power of the union. Workers that are not required to pay into the system will continue to reap the benefits of the system. Less income from union dues means fewer funds available for the legal services that assist them with contract negotiations and other employee protection measures.

Democrats say that union workers are not the only ones who should be concerned about Right-to-Work legislation. They say unions set the market standard for wages and safety conditions. For example, the Gibson County Toyota plant is not unionized. Most employees will tell you that they are paid well, treated well and provided great benefits. Republicans use this as an example of what companies are capable of when they are not forced to compromise with union negotiators. Democrats, however, claim that companies like Toyota treat their employees so well because unions have made that type of compensation a standard of the industry.