Ruh-roh: Union busting bill on agenda in IN

IN Teamsters fighting right-to-freeload earlier this year.

We pretty much knew that the crazies would be back in Indiana after the rock 'em, sock 'em legislative battles of the spring. We were right.
The Associated Press reported,

An Indiana panel is set to tell lawmakers to revive “right-to-work” legislation when they reconvene in January in a move that could set the stage for another showdown with House Democrats, who staged a five-week walkout over a similar proposal this year.

A draft of a report compiled by the Legislature’s Interim Study Committee on Employment says businesses refuse to locate in Indiana because it is not a “right-to-work” state.

Here's some rhetorical ammunition for the upcoming battle, compliments of Peter Armstrong's letter to the editor of the Muskegon Chronicle.

You need to understand what a right to work law does. By law a union must represent all employees in the bargaining unit, even those who are not members of the union. This representation covers negotiation of wages, benefits and safety, as well as a grievance process that protects workers from arbitrary discharge. Right to work does nothing more than allow an employee to receive these benefits without paying his or her fair share. It is not "right to work," it is right to freeload. It is akin to saying, "You will receive all the services of government but you don't have to pay taxes unless you want to."

Right to work laws are also an example of the government interfering with freedom to contract since they prohibit an employer and a union from voluntarily agreeing to certain terms of their contract.

Claims of economic benefits from right to work laws are entirely speculative. Six of the 10 states with the highest unemployment are right to work states.

...Even if you dislike unions and want to see their already diminished political power further reduced, this is not the way to do it. Promoting freeloading is contrary to American values.