News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
January 8, 2012

STATE OF THE STATEHOUSE: Legislative labor bill banter goes on

Maureen Hayden CNHI

No one really expected the start of the 2012 session of the Indiana General Assembly to be uneventful.

Those expectations were fulfilled last week with a political wrestling match over a contentious labor bill heralded by Republican leaders and hated by their Democratic counterparts.

If passed, Indiana would become the 23rd state in the nation with a so-called right-to-work law that outlaws agreements between labor unions and employers that make membership or payment of union dues or fees a condition of employment.

The legislation proved divisive from the get-go. It’s what sent House Democrats into an unofficial walkout the very first day of the session and kept them out the rest of the week.

Republicans who control the Statehouse weren’t happy. They want to fast-track the controversial legislation — and clear the sidewalks leading into the Statehouse of bill protesters — before national news crews arrive for next month’s Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

Simple math puts the “yea” votes on the side of bill supporters, who’ve tried to make the case that the legislation is simply a job-creator needed in a job-hungry state with a 9 percent unemployment rate.

But it’s not so simple. A marathon committee hearing on the bill, conducted Friday, raised a lot of questions about just how much impact such legislation would have over the long term.

The testimony in front of a joint House-Senate labor committee was often conflicting, as speakers wielded rival studies from other states.

Here’s a sample of that: After the president of The State Chamber of Oklahoma (that state’s version of the Chamber of Commerce) boasted Oklahoma’s right-to-work law pushed the state from 40th to first in job creation six months after Oklahomans voted it in by referendum, a University of Oregon economist said it wasn’t so.

The economist, Gordon Lafer, is a critic of right-to-work legislation. He said Oklahoma’s job growth was pushed by other factors, including the state’s booming oil industry. Lafer also pointed out that Indiana saw twice the manufacturing job growth from 2009 to 2011 than five right-to-work states combined: Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Bill supporters and opponents alike both claim to have most Hoosiers on their side of the debate, but that seems questionable, too.

More believable is the study that came out of Ball State University’s nonpartisan Bowen Center for Public Affairs last month. That study showed 27 percent of Hoosiers were for a right-to-work law while 24 percent were against. The rest — almost half the Hoosiers polled — said they don’t have an opinion on the issue or they don’t understand it.



Maureen Hayden is the Indiana Statehouse bureau chief for CNHI, the parent company of the Tribune-Star. She can be reached at maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer American Held in Grisly Czech Murders Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day' UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo Officials: Truck Hit Bridge Before Collapse Sheriff: No Sign Killing of 2 Kids Was Planned Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London Today in History May 24 Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death Jersey Shore Open for Business
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News