Many State legislatures trying to Consolidate Power By Weakening Unions

[Tennis]

Republicans stormed to power in state elections across the country in November on a promise to take on the establishment and return government to the average citizen.

But in state capitals where they gained control, they moved quickly to do something else entirely: They’ve consolidated their newfound power — and rewarded their corporate donors — by delivering death blows to a longtime enemy: organized labor.

In Kentucky, Missouri, and New Hampshire, three states that flipped to unified Republican control, legislators have prioritized passing Right to Work, a law that quickly diminishes union power by allowing workers in unionized workplaces to withhold fees used to organize and advocate on their behalf.

That might seem odd to voters who heard promises to “drain the swamp,” but its what Republican partisans and business lobbyists have been demanding for years.

Business interests helped win new Republican victories, now legislators are paying them back.

In Kentucky, Republicans won the legislature for the first time in 95 years with strong campaign support from Americans for Prosperity, the group founded and funded by the billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch that is deeply focused on undermining union influence.

Americans for Prosperity maintained a major presence in the state, funding campaign expenditures attacking state and local Democrats in swing districts, fielding a large voter canvassing effort, and providing specialized technology for campaign workers. No one knows how much Americans for Prosperity spent on local Kentucky races because the group is not required to disclose state-based campaign expenditures or its donors.

Along with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and other business interests, the Koch-funded group demanded that the new GOP majority in Kentucky pass Right to Work. On Thursday, Kentucky state House legislators passed the union-busting measure, and the state Senate is expected the follow suit on Saturday, with Republican Gov. Matt Bevin prepared to sign it.

Democrats in Kentucky are notably reliant on labor unions for political support. The largest group spending on behalf of local races for Democrats in Kentucky, a Super PAC called Kentucky Family Values, was nearly entirely funded by labor unions. In New Hampshire and Missouri, records show, unions similarly provide a bulk of campaign funds for local Democratic races in competitive districts.

Though advocates for Right to Work claim the measure is designed to boost job growth, studies suggest that the law may correlate with less pay for workers. Business groups dispute this finding, but no one disagrees that the law generally leads to a steep decline in union membership and union political power.

“We’re not anxious to be in a state where they have that much political muscle, the unions do, organized labor does,” said Woody Cozad, a lobbyist in Missouri, previewing the Right to Work bill scheduled for next week, which is also expected to pass now that Republicans control both the governor’s office and the state legislature.

https://theintercept.com/2017/01/07/gop-2017-business/

Terrible news for those who hoped to see the level of inequality lessen.
It is incredibly disturbing that in a time where we should be giving our workers more rights, these elected officials are trying to destroy unions.

[lonely zergling]

Arent you from Canada? How does this affect you?

[Kellhound]

https://theintercept.com/2017/01/07/gop-2017-business/

Terrible news for those who hoped to see the level of inequality lessen.
It is incredibly disturbing that in a time where we should be giving our workers more rights, these elected officials are trying to destroy unions.

Unions, generally being an entity that is not 100% based on freedom of association, should not be involved in politics.

[Zan15]

Arent you from Canada? How does this affect you?

because the global economy is connected.

Also a trend starts to roll down a hill......try to stop it.


fighting for better workers rights is not limited by boarders

[Wyrt]

Oh good, shithole red states are pushing to become bigger shitholes. Can't wait for more tax money from my state to bail them out!

[Krigaren]

Unions, generally being an entity that is not 100% based on freedom of association, should not be involved in politics.

Unions have always been one of the biggest political powers in the world. Regardless of freedom of association since, as the reds like to say, "If you don't like it, find another job."

[Tennis]

Arent you from Canada? How does this affect you?

Wise individuals take an interest in pertinent events no matter where they occur

Cheers

[Kellhound]

Unions have always been one of the biggest political powers in the world. Regardless of freedom of association since, as the reds like to say, "If you don't like it, find another job."

Rather see both unions and corporations banned from politics.

[Maconi]

The plus side is there'll be more jobs available in KY. The downside is they'll all be lower paying jobs.

I know here in Lexington, KY there are tons of (low paid) manufacturing jobs everywhere (with the Toyota manufacturing plant just a few miles north of me, in Georgetown, KY). We're basically a third-world country within US borders.

[Ahhdurr]

We're basically a third-world country within US borders.

Said the entire midwest and south.

[IIamaKing]

Wise individuals take an interest in pertinent events no matter where they occur

Cheers

So whats your reason?

Kidding aside, how is this pertinent to your life?

[Raeph]

the problem with your premise is that Unions in the united states function more like Super-pacs with a captive donor pool, while unions in other countries function as NGOs or even, like some European countries like Germany, as the human resource department of a corporation.

Just because it uses the name "Union" doesn't mean that it is helpful to workers.

Unions in the United States can do some good in public safety, however often they are marked by compulsory dues levied against working class people who usually have not had a chance to opt-in or opt-out of Unionization (see California teachers) or heavy political donations to Democrats nearly in their entirety, except in the case of Police and Firefighter unions.

That's fine if you are a Democrat and willing to have your dues going to further the Democratic Party platform, on a local and national level, but if your ideology spans anything from social justice or anything resembling center-right or conservative causes you are out of luck.

I have no issue with any working forming or joining a Union but as they currently stand I would never join one.

[Blur4stuff]

No unions at all would be fine if companies were forced to treat and pay workers fairly. Some do, of course. Many don't.

[Templar 331]

As a union man in a red state, this does not surprise me.

Anyone who thinks that the Republican party is for the working class is deluding themselves, as this is evidence for their stance.

[Merie]

Now, now, the rich aren't against unions. They're just against unions for the middle class. When it comes to the lobbyists they're all for em'.

[Stormdash]

Right to work = your right to negotiate the value of your own labor without having to be forced into an organization. Sorry unions, you negotiate for your own members, employers for simplicity will make uniform policies that apply to non-members, them's the breaks. You can't have everything.

[sheggaro]

Unions, where you pay ridicilous fees to be allowed to work.

I don't see where the problem is.

[Darththeo]

Right to work = your right to negotiate the value of your own labor without having to be forced into an organization. Sorry unions, you negotiate for your own members, employers for simplicity will make uniform policies that apply to non-members, them's the breaks. You can't have everything.

In other words, you are okay with employers paying people unequally for equal work.

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Unions, where you pay ridicilous fees to be allowed to work.

I don't see where the problem is.

I think I pay less than 30 dollars a pay check (which is for 80 hrs work) to my union. I don't know anyone who pays a ridiculous fees.

[Wells]

Unions, generally being an entity that is not 100% based on freedom of association, should not be involved in politics.

Right to Work laws abridge freedom of association by restricting the ability of unions to form contracts.

[Darththeo]

I work for my state's Department of Labor, I love all the Anti-Union people who are not part of a union who quote to me UNION protections (rather than legal protections) to being discharged from employment. Even anti-Union people want Union protections.