The Attacks Continue

First it was Wisconsin, then Ohio, and now Iowa. Republicans in state legislatures all over the country are attempting to destroy the power of unions and take away the right of collective bargaining from public employees.

This morning, after fifteen hours of debate by Democrats, House Study Bill 117 passed in the Iowa House Labor Committee. Not only were Democrats not able to kill this union-busting legislation, but Republicans in committee refused to attach any of the 48 amendments proposed by Democrats to alleviate some of the devastating effects this bill will have on working class families. House Study Bill 117 will now go to the full House where, if passed, will destroy collective bargaining rights.

Even though Democrats were unable to kill this bill in committee, there are still many more opportunities to do so before it actually becomes law, and Democrats in Iowa refuse to let it get that far. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal ensured that the Democrats in the Iowa state legislature will “fight [House Study Bill 117] every step of the way.

House Study Bill 117 in Iowa is not the only union-busting legislation currently pending in state legislatures. Republicans have introduced similar bills all over the country such as Senate Bill 575 in Indiana, House Bill 474 in New Hampshire, and Senate Bill 5 in Ohio. This is no longer a state by state issue. This is now a serious attack on the right to collectively bargain for workers all over the country. We, as Democrats, need to not only work in these states to fight the already proposed legislation, but to also work together to stop the spread of such anti-union legislation and to preserve the rights of workers all of the country.

It's not just Wisconsin

“I’ll give up my union card when you pry it from my cold dead hand,” reads the sign of an Ohio protester who gathered with an estimated 3,800 others in an act of solidarity against Ohio’s Senate Bill 5. Although Wisconsin has been garnering more widespread media coverage, a frighteningly similar Republican sponsored bill is working its way through the Ohio Senate’s Insurance, Commerce and Labor committee. Protests reached fever pitch today as over 1000 protesters flooded into the Capitol building in Columbus, where the Senate Bill 5 testimony was being broadcast over speakers from a tightly guarded hearing room.

Union members are angry! In state legislatures and governors’ offices, where Republicans have dominated all branches of government after the 2010 elections, they are going after hardworking public-sector employees! No wonder teachers, firefighters, and policemen, alongside family and friends, are vocalizing their opposition in such magnitudes! So what’s at stake? A collective bargaining bill that gives organized state and local labor the right to collectively bargain for better working conditions, in addition to granting police and fire officials the right to seek binding arbitration.

Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich wants to reform this law and ban collective bargaining rights for all state employees and drastically limit arbitration rules for local governments. Senate Bill 5 will make it much harder for teachers and other local union members to bargain collectively and force them to pay much larger shares of health insurance premiums. Republicans claim that they are trying to rein in the rising cost of salary benefits earned by hardworking municipal workers, but taking away collective bargaining rights doesn't save money, it just hurts workers.

Kasich has even pushed for public workers who strike to be fired! This Republican claim that denies wanting to harm workers is not true. This is a politically risky tactic for Republicans given that a USA Today/Gallup Poll found 61% of Americans in opposition to laws undermining collective bargaining rights to 33% in favor. “I proudly served for Freedom, don’t take it away,” reads another protester's sign. The mounting fear for most union members is that if Senate Bill 5 passes, they will unilaterally be removed from collective bargaining, and their views and voices will be diluted and steamrolled by the government.

The Ohio protests are also receiving significant support from many high profile leaders who are standing by hard working Americans. Today, former Governor Ted Strickland, a past 21st Century Democrats endorsee, cheered on union supporters through a megaphone alongside former congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy, another past endorsee, and Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-17). Although United States Senate rules prevent members from lobbying on state legislation, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has voiced an interest in expressing solidarity with state democrats.

Ohio is just one of several other states that are encountering bills that undercut state employees’ rights to collective bargaining. Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine and Pennsylvania are also facing the same situation where Republicans made significant gains in the wake of the midterm elections. 21st Century Democrats is committed to representing the interests of America’s Working Families and we are dedicated to doing all we can to promote a fairer, just and equal society for all.

State Workers Under Attack

Republican state governments have launched an assault on America's middle class. Bills in Ohio and Wisconsin have been taken up and have a primary goal of suppressing civil-service employees' collective bargaining rights. Republicans claim this is in the name of "balancing the budget," but in the real world, we know that this is all about - It's union bashing through and through!

Sadly, these partisan attacks on working and middle class families are what we come to expect from Republicans. But workers are not taking this sitting down. Protestors have taken to the streets in Madison, Wisconsin, and teachers have called in sick prompting significant school closings in the Madison, Milwaukee and La Crosse areas.

In Wisconsin this anti-union legislation would completely undermine the ability for many state workers to negotiate for better pensions, health care benefits or salary raises that exceed the Consumer Price Index. This is sabotage and it doesn't end here! In Ohio, Republican majorities are also attempting to hinder state and state institutions of higher education employees from collective bargaining. Republicans are hurting their neighbors, teachers, local law enforcement, town clerks and local response teams in order to further a partisan agenda. Republican Governor John Kasich fully supports the new bill and may propose his own proposal that would go even further to prohibit public employee strikes!

Protestors have converged on steps of the Capitol in Columbus, too. Republicans have their hands full! For almost thirty years progress has been made to facilitate effective collective bargaining for public employees and Republicans are determined to make them start fresh. These new union-assaulting bills will make it more difficult for public employees to provide for their families and will hurt local communities that depend on these employees. These sweeping Republic takeovers at the state level are putting families, neighbors, and communities at risk. If
Ohio and Wisconsin so eagerly implement these oppressive tactics, who's to say other states won't follow suit? There are similar efforts in budding stages just about everywhere Republicans took control of one or more branches of government: Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, and to a lesser degree in Maine and Pennsylvania.. Something must be done and 21^st Century Democrats is fully committed to challenging these incursions on America's middle class' livelihoods.