The coming right-to-work fight in Wisconsin

Milwaukee J-S ^ | 05 dec 2014 | David D. Haynes

[rellimpank]

Is Wisconsin better off with weaker unions?

Some conservatives think so. Legislators will consider the question when right-to-work legislation is introduced early next year. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said members in his house would begin debate within weeks.

But I think Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican leadership should tread carefully. There is scant evidence that right-to-work laws boost job creation; there is evidence that weaker unions hurt working people. And there is no doubt whatsoever that a fight over right to work in Wisconsin will be bloody. Remember Act 10?

Under right-to-work laws, workers in unionized shops cannot be required to pay dues as a condition of employment. That creates a "free rider" problem for unions as workers calculate that they can benefit from representation without paying for it. As a result, unions have a harder time organizing and less clout. Twenty-four states have some form of right to work including Michigan and Indiana.

Walker says right-to-work is not a priority but he hasn't said whether he would sign a bill if one reaches his desk. If a bill gets to Walker, I don't think there is any question what he will do. He will sign it.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Open weeping in Milwaukee.

[Redleg Duke]

Typical liberal bravo sierra!

[PeteB570]

They should keep their union laws - much better for us down here in the Southeastern USA. :)

[goldstategop]

Unions are tied to the Democratic Party as electoral machinery.

And the GOP should give them favors, why exactly? I have no objection to unions representing workers’ interests.

I have a visceral objection to unions acting as a partisan extension of the Democratic Party. That needs to be addressed.

And after what unions put WI through in the previous election cycles, Republicans understandably aren’t in an accommodating mood.

[knittnmom]

Though I grew up and now live in Wisconsin, I was born in Peoria, IL. Keystone Steel & Wire, Caterpillar, Hiram Walker all had huge manufacturing facilities there. It was a huge draw for workers from the other states, particularly southern state. Then the unions came in, and Keystone was the first to move to a “right to work” state. Hiram Walker and Cat followed soon after.

[untenured]

Under right-to-work laws, workers in unionized shops cannot be required to pay dues as a condition of employment. That creates a "free rider" problem for unions as workers calculate that they can benefit from representation without paying for it. As a result, unions have a harder time organizing and less clout.

Under laws artificially privileging labor unions over freedom of association, workers are forced to pay dues to unions as a condition of taking jobs with particular employers, which those employers are legally forced to impose. That creates an "entry barrier" benefit for unions, whose workers get more for doing less, and an "entry barrier" problem for workers and employers who find it in their mutual interest to come to agreement outside the unionized framework. As a result, many workers lose opportunities and prices of goods and services increase, stripping customers, owners and shareholders alike of the gains to be had from mutually beneficial exchanges.

[donozark]

Rep. Chris Kapenga plans to introduce RTW legislation after first of year.

[bert]

This is a pretty tepid piece of defense scribbling

It lacks the force of full bore union bravado. He can say “I tried”

[donozark]

Rep. Bill Lant (R-159th District) plans to introduce RTW legislation in Missouri in January. He will first need to overcome StL country club Republicans. Even though Republicans control both houses in MO and can override Nixon’s veto, many will need to be strong armed to vote for it.

[rellimpank]

--"That creates a "free rider" problem for unions as workers calculate that they can benefit from representation without paying for it. As a result, unions have a harder time organizing and less clout. "

--I suspect that this is less a problem than it is presented because I suspect anyone bold enough to use the services of a union of which he is not a member would face complete ostracism of not worse from his fellow workers-.

In my experience, removal of the automatic dues-checkoff would be the fair way to treat union dues--that way if you have enough interest to go pay your dues, you would be a member in good standing of the union. Otherwise, the union should not have to represent you---

[okie01]

If I am not mistaken, three segments of society are demonstrably better off in right-to-work states as compared to union shop states:

1. Business

2. Consumers

3. The workers themselves

Unions are no longer beneficial to the economy -- or any segment thereof.

[rellimpank]

—ping—

[railroader]

Keystone was the first to move to a “right to work” state. Hiram Walker and Cat followed soon after.

Um...Keystone Steel & Wire did not move. Its Bartonville steel mill and associated wire fabrication facilities are still humming with activity. A $75 million modernization project in 1996-1999 and Chapter 11 reorganization in 2004-2005 cut costs for the company.

Hiram Walker & Sons suffered (with other distillers) declining hard liquor sales in the 1970s. The Peoria plant was the "world's largest grain distillery," but too big by the end of that decade. Walker announced in 1979 that it would close its Peoria plant and replace it with a smaller blending and packaging facility in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

But Archer Daniels Midland Co. bought the Peoria plant and began ethanol, industrial and beverage alcohol operations in 1981. Significant capacity expansion came in 1982 and again in the late 1990s. The company actually employs more people in its distillery and grain terminal-barge dock complex than Hiram Walker did - 500 vs. 150!(closure of Walker's bottling plant in 1981 caused the most job loss.)

Caterpillar moved some component work to Mexico in the 1980s and replaced its York, PA plant with smaller facilities in several southern states. Much small casting It got out of the truck engine business c. 2010 and moved on-highway engine production to Seguin, Texas but still employs 15,000 in the Peoria area.

In East Peoria, the company fabricates power-shift transmissions, case and frame assemblies, undercarriage components and assembles pipelayers and medium and large track type tractors. The Mapleton foundry does engine blocks, heads and liners, EMD locomotive blocks and castings for wind turbine components. A small Peoria facility makes rubber components and a world parts distribution facility is at Morton. The company maintains seveal other large plants in Illinois at Aurora, Decatur, Joliet and Pontiac.

The UAW essentially lost its power and influence in the Peoria area after the 1994-1995 strike. I'd guess the Boilermakers Union Local 158 isn't causing problems for Komatsu America International (former WABCO) because that company is actually completing a "brick-and-mortar" expansion that includes a 200,000 sq. ft. off-highway truck parts warehouse!

[Buckeye McFrog]

Just the fact that the J-S would use the loaded union propaganda term “free riders” tells you where they stand on this issue.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Right to work on the Republican agenda for 2015 in Wisconsin.

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[knittnmom]

Thanks for the clarification. I’d always been told it was because of the right-to-work states. One of my uncles lost his job at Keystone when they moved. Another of my uncles lost his house during the Cat strike. yet another worked extra jobs so he could keep paying the bills whenever there was a strike or a layoff. I always thought it was really stupid when the union called a strike shortly after coming back from a layoff.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Governor Walker on this situation? His mouth says, ‘No’ but his eyes say, ‘YES.’

It would really be a blow to the unions, but it WOULD take the $$$ out of politics in a BIG WAY - which is something the ‘Rats are ALWAYS harping about. *Rolleyes*

*SNORT*

Love My Gov!

[HamiltonJay]

Yes, Its so damned bad that MICHIGAN has embraced it and seen its economy improve.... what drivel these attempts to attack right to work are.