Personal

Right to Work legislation seems to be successfully working its way through the legislature this year.  A much better showing for our State than last year when the Democrat Caucus vacationed in Illinois rather than addressing the issue.

This is important legislation for all Hoosiers.  From my position on the the MCEDC board I have heard that this issue is one of the few deterrents to business location or relocation in Indiana.  This has been promoted by IDEC.  This was also listed as a problem by one of our site selector consultants.  There are many case histories such as the story of Oklahoma here which tell of how a state’s economic fortunes have improved after passage of Right to Work legislation.

With Speaker Bosma supporting it (you can sign a petition here) and Governor Daniels promising to sign it, there is a lot of muscle behind the current push.  It would be a boon to Indiana’s economic development position.

Aside from that, I believe that it is a freedom issue.  I worked in a closed shop factory for 30 days one summer.  It was an eye-opening experience.  I had no interest in joining the union.  In fact I was generally in trouble with the union steward.  The floor manager, who was not union, learned that if he needed some task completed quickly (if it was in my skill set) I would do it.  That was unacceptable to the union members.  I was taking someone else’s job!  I had worked several summers at Easterday Construction before taking that job.  I was taught there that I should do something even if it was wrong.  Easterday Superintendents always told the labor that if you finish a task and don’t know what else to do, pick up a broom and sweep the floor.  Boy, did that ever start a flap when I did that during one of the union’s unscheduled breaks!  That basically got me “blackballed” and I was told that I would not be accepted after my 30 day probation period.  Why would I want to join the union when I didn’t agree with their policies and they didn’t agree with my work ethic?  Why did they have the right to keep me from that job?  If they would have allowed me to remain, why would I want to contribute to their causes with which I didn’t agree?  I should have had the freedom to work there, but I didn’t.

If you want to express your opinion on this, use the link above to vote on Brian Bosma’s page.  This week there is a poll on the Pilot News website.  Currently it is running more than 60% in favor.  There is also information at Halt the Assault website here.  And there is also information on the Indiana Chamber of Commerce website here.  Join me in contacting our legislators to make this Law in Indiana!  I’ve already contacted mine.  If you don’t know who yours is, I’ll help you find them!