Indiana is now ‘right to work’ state; downward spiral in wages begins
Indiana became the 23rd “right to work” state in the country Wednesday after the legislation was passed by the GOP-controlled House and Senate, and signed into law by the GOP governor, according to multiple media reports.
Indiana becomes the first state in the Rust Belt of the industrial Midwest and Northeast to adopt the bill. Opponents, though, said the bill will begin a downward spiral of wages, benefits and working conditions.
Indiana Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville, said the bill was being passed on "anecdotes and myths" of unnamed companies that wouldn't come here without the law. And, she said, "there is no empirical evidence, if you take the time to read the studies, that 'right to work' creates one job," she was quoted by the Indianapolis Star. It has divided the Indiana Legislature and the state, employers and employees, she said, asking: "Was it worth it?"
Protesters who packed the hallways and Senate gallery cheered as Democrats warned that Indiana had joined a race to compete for lower-paying jobs, and shouted, "You lie!" at Republicans who challenged that. After the vote, thousands of union members surged out of the south doors at the Statehouse, merging with thousands more who had been protesting on the lawn.
Nancy Guyott, president of the Indiana AFL-CIO, told the crowd the fight wasn't over. She strongly encouraged the crowd to vote in large numbers.
"We'll take our state back, one citizen at a time!" she shouted from the Statehouse steps. "You ain't seen nothin' yet."
The throng streamed down Capitol Avenue into the Super Bowl Village and on toward Lucas Oil Stadium, though it was mostly quiet and subdued, according to media reports.
AFL-CIO spokesman Jeff Harris said no large organized protests are planned for Super Bowl Sunday. Unions, he said, made their point Wednesday but will hand out leaflets about "right to work" in the days ahead in the Super Bowl Village. "This has always been about the fight over 'right to work,' and that takes place in the Statehouse and the ballot box," he said.
As GOP Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed the “right to work” legislation, Illinois DFL Governor Pat Quinn said he's not worried about the move driving companies out of Illinois and to Indiana.
Quinn told CBS Chicago that most Illinois businesses are happy with union labor, and that prohibiting unions from requiring representation fees is a bad policy. “That’s a bad bill for the incomes of hard-working people."
“Having a good union work force like Caterpillar and John Deere and Ford and Mitsubishi and Chrysler; they all have – Navistar as well – they’re all organized by the UAW and the UAW believes in making sure that people get a decent wage, get a decent health care plan and a decent retirement,” Quinn told CBS.
