Indiana House Republicans have approved $1,000-a-day fines against Democratic legislators who are boycotting over a right-to-work
bill.
The Republicans approved the fines in a voice vote Wednesday morning as most of the Democratic representatives gathered in
the Statehouse Rotunda for what they called an open caucus meeting to discuss the bill to ban employment contracts with mandatory
union fees.
The Democrats began their meeting surrounded by hundreds of union supporters, with more watching from the balconies above.
Republican Speaker Brian Bosma had demanded that Democrats end their boycott and give the House enough members present to
begin work.
Bosma had hoped to begin voting Tuesday on proposed amendments to the right-to-work bill, but most Democrats resumed their
walkout after questions arose about the constitutionality of the statewide referendum they're seeking on the proposal.
Democratic leader Patrick Bauer said his members will stay out as long as it takes lawyers to review the proposed referendum.
Bauer said he found out late Monday that state lawyers had raised questions about the constitutionality of such a measure.
He called it a trick Bosma was using to give Republicans cover to vote against the referendum proposal.
"The same continuing pattern is they do not want the public to legitimately and constitutionally have the referendum,"
Bauer said. "That's part of their pattern. Keep the public out and go after the representatives who demand that the
public be let in."
Bosma said he wouldn't tolerate further stalling by Democrats.
"I think he sees ghosts behind every door," Bosma said about Bauer and his allegations.
Lawyers for the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency, the state agency that drafts bills for lawmakers and provides legal
advice, wrote in a Jan. 13 memo that the Indiana constitution "does not include a referendum option" and said it
is "unlikely" voters could have the final say on statewide legislation.
Legislators in recent years have permitted local referendums on whether to allow casinos, approval of school construction
projects, additional property taxes for school and elimination of township assessors. State records show the only statewide
referendum questions in several decades have been on whether to approve amendments to the state constitution — not approving
state laws.
"There are referendums on everything under the sun," Bauer said. "We didn't need to be blindsided by that
person (Bosma) up there."
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Indiana Republicans approve fines on House boycotters
Associated Press
January 18, 2012
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liek the rest of America
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These quaint,obsessed musings by the stalkers are certainly entertaining, but I'm trying to figure out what, if anything, all the yelping below has to do with Zak Brown.
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It's evident that Moffett was pushing the right buttons and corporate America is now trying to squash him. He just wanted to withdraw the free pilot services provided to the company by the pilots to try and put some pressure on a company that has not been interested in negotiating a contract in over 5 years. The company does not provide a contract because not having one has saved them a bundle of money. Shame on any Republic pilots not standing behind their union leader just because things are getting tough, can you not see such strategic moves by the company as putting the last union president in a corporate position and into THEIR pocket. Do you really believe the last union president is so appalled at the attempts by Moffett, do you not remember his oppositions to the company? We stood behind him. It has been proven over and over again for thousands of years without fail, a man cannot serve two masters. Anyone that believes people vote contrary to their paycheck and livelihood deserve to be taken advantage of, the recent statements by the former union president are laughable as he denounces the current union president from his new corporate position. Have you ever seen a drafted sports player score points for his previous team, it cannot be done, he is not on the pilots side anymore, he gets his money a different way now than you and I do, and he should not be allowed to remain on the seniority list. A drafted player brings strength, credibility, tactical knowledge, and a strategic advantage to his NEW team, he would not be drafted or paid were it otherwise. We are all forced to choose only one side to play for and support, not doing so has many references in life such as insider trading and shaving points, all illegal for good reason. This basic fact is why corporate moguls, scientist, and engineers all sign non-discloser agreements and non-compete clauses, as protection in case they are lured into switching sides as our former union president has done. No NFL coach ever drafted a player so that both teams could benefit and better understand each other, they are recruited to win the game against that former team, period. Likewise the company does not recruit the former union president by accident or mutual understanding, its strategy. Don't confuse playing the game with good sportsman-like conduct in support of common business and prosperity goals, with the requirement to only play for one side. Good men we all love and favor fall subject to this manipulation, often without their knowledge, and it is not a betrayal of their friendship to oppose them when they switch sides. If we did not love and trust them, they would not have been chosen and lured to the other side in the first place. The deception by the drafted player is not made at a conscious level, it's just human nature and it's all about money and power which corrupts our ability to be objective and loyal to two masters. This is why our court system created the defense attorney, and why our military created counter intelligence. Its strategy and its propaganda, and it works, and that's why the "powers to be" manipulate the chess pieces by sometimes changing their colors. Some players know they are being manipulated when their color is changed, but it brings them more money and power so they do not care. The rest have good intentions but do not even realize they are being manipulated. This tactic is also known by another name, Divide and Conquer. In battle sending an imperfect message with an imperfect team is obviously not ideal, but it's still being sent by YOUR team, your union leader, a leader that has common goals and common rewards with you, they are the best, because we have elected them to do a job for us. If you are not backing Moffett but believing the spin by those that have recently switched sides, you are taking food out of your own mouth. Showing unity and backing an imperfect situation still results in taking just as much ground, it's about unity and bargaining power. It's not necessary to wait around for that perfect attack because it will never come, the company will spin and attempt to destroy anyone that gets in their way. Ultimately it's not about any specific attack anyway, ASAP or whatever it makes no difference, it is and always has been only about power. If this company cared about safety it would not build pairings with 8 hour overnights, come on, are you that naive? Besides, do you really think Hoffa cares, no, he got a call from corporate America and was squeezed into denouncing Moffett. If he didn't they would spin the safety card against him and the Teamsters National with implication for truckers, future contracts, insurance rates etc...saying something like the Teamsters use safety as a bargaining chip, blah blah blah... Do you really think any pilot is going to do something unsafe for the contract, absolutely not, the only ones threatening safety here is the company with reduced rest, fatigue, and poverty. Do you not find it odd that Hoffa and the Teamsters are opposing a Teamster president publicly? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and work with one of their own? Why did they not sit down and help him strategize, correct any mistakes, and charge ahead? Would the Teamsters National not normally support and leverage a contract for all those pilots that have been paying Teamster dues, isn't that why we have all been paying Teamster dues in the first place? I sure haven't been paying dues so that the Teamsters National could come along and write this kind of an article undercutting our union leader and our unity. Whose side is the Teamsters National really on, it's obviously not the Republic pilots side.
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No matter what Moffatt does the company is going to spin it like he is the terrorist and brainwash people like you into believing it, wake up, back your players that are trying to change things for you and your livelihood. Where has Hoffa been for the last 6 years, except collecting our dues. Seriously, do you really think an FO going for upgrade, signed off by a checkairman ready for the upgrade, who then fails, is not even capable of returning as a First Officer.
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whoa!
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http://www.epi.org/publication/working-hard-indiana-bad-tortured-uphill/
10% of the Indiana workforce is a LOT of people!
If RTW effects 11% of the state work force how could it lower wages across the board? I understand those arguing that RTW might lower Union wages, but I find it hard to believe it will effect all workers.
The facts on the 'union' bill
*Workers DO NOT currently HAVE to join a union. They are protected by federal law to not have to do this. AND although they don't have to join, they are still GUARANTEED to reap the benefits from the union bargaining. They DO have to pay what's called their 'fair share' of bargaining...these do not equate to the same amount of union dues that actual members pay.
*Federal law REQUIRES unions to bargain for EVERYONE. Thus is some refuse to pay, they STILL reap the benefits. Unions do not get a choice in this--fair?
*Federal law requires that those paying union dues be allowed to opt out of having their money given to support political parties.
The ads stating that 2/3 Hoosiers agree with this law are bogus. Wishtv did a story that proved this wrong. This is a blatant attack on the middle class. Think of the union workers you know. Are any of them rich? No. They are making a living, most of them do hard labor. They deserve to be paid overtime after forty hours and have health care and other benefits bargained for. Yes, some people give unions a bad name...but they are really in the minority.
Union shops can and do vote to be non-unionized. If the workers don't feel represented, they will vote the union out. I do wish I could opt out of things I don't support, such as the stadium tax which I don't want -- it only cost me money.
In the end, it is just more of Mitch trying to lower our standard to that of Mexico. Reduce education, reduce wages, cut corp income tax, cut property tax for corporations, and say that Indiana workers are not good enough, that we need foreign (cheep) labor, often illegal and untaxed for his business friends.
Our wages are going down, our jobs are being worked by imported labor, tax breaks are going to wealthy. Based on what I see, I give 100% support the walk-out.
Dupree
If the Union is all that it says that it is (all about the employees) then it would be money well spent by the employees to CHOOSE to be in the union. If pepole are worried that it will reduce wages and benefits, then change the laws for minimum wage and mandatory benefits.
If you would go to Muncie, Anderson, Kokomo, etc. I think you would see how the Union did nothing to keep the jobs there. It would be interesting to see if a past union employee who lost their job, would join the union again it there was a Right to Work law.
I have a friend who is a Union person, she brags about all her vacation days and full "free" benefits (i.e. insurance). Where do you think all the money comes from? Have any of you priced insurance? Imagine having a company who has to pay for all that while some of its emaployees abuse it?
Many of the unions are still tied to the Mafia.
It's a political fight for both sides, one side wants to hurt the other side financially and one side wants to protect their financial support. The contrived hysteria about creating/losing jobs, safety degradation, etc is just political cover for the real issue of financial support.