Right to Work in Indiana - State Senate Voting Wed. Action?

[dave]

To: Occupy Chicago Labor Committee
From: Dave Peterson Re: Turnout for Wednesday at the Indiana Statehouse?

I heard that the voting at the state Senate is supposed to get going around noon, and some Chicago locals (IBEW 134?) are planning to get there around 10am.... A friend from IBEW 134 told me that members are meeting to get on their buses at their training center at 115th and Ridgeland, FYI. I'm certain there are many of you who are more in the loop than me, but I haven't seen anything here or on OccupyChi.org, etc. so I figured I'd post these letters to membership at the Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council, IBEW Local 481, and the call to fight Right to Work from Indiana AFL-CIO.

Can we possibly discuss some official action the committee can take in the next 48 hours? The Operating Engineers were hosting a phone bank, but that's ended. I've hastily typed up a press release and would appreciate your consideration.

Thanks,
Dave

For Immediate Release
January 31, 2012

"At the turn of the century women earned approximately ten cents an hour, and men were fortunate to receive twenty cents an hour. The average work week was sixty to seventy hours. During the thirties, wages were a secondary issue; to have a job at all was the difference between the agony of starvation and a flicker of life. The nation, now so vigorous, reeled and tottered almost to total collapse. The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress. Out of its bold struggles, economic and social reform gave birth to unemployment insurance, old age pensions, government relief for the destitute, and above all new wage levels that meant not mere survival, but a tolerable life. The captains of industry did not lead this transformation; they resisted it until they were overcome. When in the thirties the wave of union organization crested over our nation, it carried to secure shores not only itself but the whole society."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. October 1965

The Labor Committee for Occupy Chicago is issuing this call for all friends of workplace democracy, safety at work, freedom of association, and a secure middle class:

Please join us at the Indiana Statehouse at 10AM on Wednesday, February 2nd, 2012 to help our neighbors in Indiana send a message that attacking the right to free association for some is an attack on us all - and there will be a price to pay on election day in November.

Republicans in Indiana are attempting to force a so-called "Right to Work" anti-worker bill through the State Senate before the Super Bowl comes to Indianapolis on Sunday, February 5th. The Indiana State House already passed the measure. The NFL Players Association has criticized the law, stating that, "'Right-to-work' is a political ploy designed to destroy basic workers’ rights. It’s not about jobs or rights, and it’s the wrong priority for Indiana."

As part of a non-partisan, non-violent movement, the Labor Committee for Occupy Chicago recognizes that the influence of moneyed interests has compromised far too many of our elected officials, regardless of party affiliation. This corruption is harming the poor and working class of our country, while those who are already doing well are treated to more bonuses and tax breaks. We say, "Enough!"

The Labor Committee for Occupy Chicago also calls on President Obama to stand up for the rights of Indiana residents to form Unions and negotiate for safe and dignified working conditions through collective bargaining. We advocate an end of money in politics - but we know that we must make a moral stand on practical manners, such as opposing unfair laws like the one close to passing in Indiana this week.

This dishonorable move by the corrupt political establishment in Indiana echoes recent hasty attempts in other states with GOP majorities to restrict the right of people in the United States of America to negotiate the terms of their employment - a right guaranteed by the U.S. Congress and one of the key prerequisites for middle class security, home ownership, safety on the job, and national prosperity throughout this country's history.

Weighing in against the right to work legislation in Indiana, the Economic Policy Institute wrote, "Rigorous, properly-designed studies have found that RTW [Right To Work] laws reduce wages by $1,500 a year, for both union and nonunion workers, and lower the likelihood that union and non-union employees get health care coverage or pensions through their jobs. They have also found that RTW laws have no impact on job growth in states that adopt them."

The Labor Committee for Occupy Chicago does not represent the General Assembly of Occupy Chicago (GA), but is submitting a proposal to the GA for consideration by our democratic movement.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: NWI Building Trades
Sent: 1/27/2012 5:53:02 P.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: IMPORTANT/State House (RTW)

Please forward out.

It is time to drop tools and head to the Statehouse. We need everyone to be at the Statehouse on

Wednesday, February 1 at 9:00 AM. This is the day HB 1001 will be up for a final vote in the Senate. We do not encourage anyone to leave a PLA or NMA job, but we do need everyone else to be there.
Again, we ask that today and over the weekend you encourage your membership to reach out to ALL Senators. Participation from our contractors is also extremely important. They need to let the Senate know that they do not want or need government interfering in the way they run their business.
We appreciate everything that you have done to help fight this battle. The war is not over yet, we must continue to fight!!!!!
In Solidarity,
Dale Johnsen, President
Pete Rimsans, Executive Director
Indiana State Building Trades Council
Randy Palmateer, Business Manager
Northwestern Indiana Building & Construction Trades Council
550 Superior Ave., Ste. B
Munster, IN. 46321
(219) 924-5100
(219) 924-5111 (Fax)
www.NW Ibuildingtrades.com
Lake, Porter, Newton & Jasper Counties

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Date Added: 1/30/2012


Brothers and Sisters, this is Sean Seyferth, Business Manager of IBEW Local 481. Despite all our efforts to defeat the Right to Work Legislation through lobbying, letter writing, phone calls and weeks of demonstrations, it appears our message has not been heard. The final vote is set for this Wednesday, February 1st . I am calling on all members to drop your tools and join us at the Statehouse at noon.


Again I would ask that anyone working on a Project Labor Agreement site to stay on the job, as we have agreed to no work stoppages on these projects.

In Solidarity,


Sean J. Seyferth
Business Manager/Financial Secretary
IBEW Local 481

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Fight RTW: Statehouse Activities this week

STATEHOUSE ACTIVITIES:



With Super Bowl XLVI now a week away, our opposition to Governor Mitch Daniels’ and the Statehouse Republicans' drive to force the right to work for less bill down the throats of Hoosier working families will have an extremely high profile.

And, now more than ever, we need you.

This week the state senate will consider the RTW bill and will likely take final vote on Wednesday. We must use these next few days to ensure that a majority of state senators reject this extreme union busting measure and prevent the bill from going to the governor for final signature. Click here to see which senators remain undecided and send them an email encouraging them to vote "NO" on RTW.

Your participation over the next few days will be critical. Here’s how you can help:

Monday: Attend the hearing the RTW bill in the Senate Chambers at 9:00 a.m. and stay for our lobby day as we reach out to undecided state senators and urge them to vote against the bill.

Tuesday: As amendments are presented to the RTW bill in the state senate, join us for our lobby day as we continue to focus on those undecided state senators. While we don’t have an exact start time for Tuesday’s session, we believe it will begin in the morning.

Wednesday: We expect a final vote on the RTW bill on Wednesday and we need everyone to be there to demonstrate our resolve. Please arrive at the Statehouse by 9:00 a.m. to watch the vote and then STAY for a rally and march immediately following the vote.

We are also planning a number of events surrounding the Super Bowl to highlight the attacks on workers taking place in Indiana. If you’d like to be involved in those events, please contact your local leadership or email Becky Smith from the Indiana State AFL-CIO here.

This week presents us with a unique opportunity to score a major victory for workers everywhere and to highlight our opposition to the corporate-funded, anti-worker agenda being advanced by Governor Daniels, Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President David Long. Let's show the world what we are made of!

Join us every day this week as we work to defeat the right to work for less bill and message to the world stage.

In Solidarity,

The Indiana State AFL-CIO