Friday, February 10, 2017

Opponents seek statewide vote on right to work

(This news release was issued by Missouri House Democrats)

Hours after Republican Gov. Eric Greitens signed a so-called “right-to-work” bill into law on Feb. 6, the Missouri AFL-CIO filed a referendum petition that would require a statewide vote on the measure before it could take effect. Labor groups are also pursuing a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the General Assembly from enacting right-to-work laws in the future.

Right-to-work opponents have until Aug. 28 – the day the measure takes effect – to submit petitions signed by roughly 100,000 registered Missouri voters. If they do so, it automatically will go on the November 2018 statewide ballot and won’t take effect until and unless voters approve it.

Senate Bill 19 would make it a crime punishable by jail time for business owners to negotiate labor contracts requiring workers to pay dues for the union representation they receive. Democratic lawmakers sought to include a provision placing the bill on the statewide ballot, but majority Republicans blocked that effort, leaving the referendum petition as the only option to give voters a say on the issue.

The referendum petition is a rarely used process similar to the more common initiative petition. But while an initiative petition bypasses lawmakers by proposing legislation and placing before voters for their approval, a referendum petition takes an act of the General Assembly and forces a statewide vote on it.

The last time a referendum petition was successfully employed to force a vote was on House Bill 695, a bill lawmakers enacted in 1981 to allow larger trucks on Missouri highways. The bill went on the April 1982 ballot as Proposition A, which was rejected by 53.3 percent of voters.

In addition to the SB 19 referendum petition, labor groups are also circulating an initiative petition for a proposed constitutional amendment to block future right-to-work legislation. The issue last went before voters in 1978 when 60 percent rejected Amendment 23, which sought to constitutionally mandate right-to-work.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've already signed the petition, as should any Missourian concerned about a business friendly bill that will paid for by lowering the wages of all workers. It was sold by claiming businesses would flock to Missouri as a result of lower wages here, but there is NO evidence to support such. I have no doubt when fellow members of the Show me state are allowed to consider ALL factors involved in implementing this act of conservative radicals that they will side with their fellow workers, not a politician courting big business for campaign cash.

Concerned citizen said...

Big labor is now public employee labor...so go ahead let the people decide

Anonymous said...

@ Incoherent concerned citizen,

Your comment refers to "big labor" which I assume means unions, are now public labor. Unions have always been public labor, educated and trained labor that are responsible for your 40 hour work week, in order to raise our families and spend time with them so they are not raised an incoherent fool. Are you suggesting linemen (IBEW) that power your community safely, even during ice storms, should be minimum wage employees with little training to risk burning down your house?

Do you think fire and police unions which train their employees to handle most any situation, somehow unnecessary? What about the union trucker, protected from driving too many hours to safely negotiate driving his truck, or would you prefer he just run over your family's vehicle? Are you aware most non-union shops do not provide proper training, and instead cross-train employees? I think most people will agree, as they have in the past, that Right to Work is nothing but a con by legislators to lower wages at the expense of public safety. Not sure we can reach the incoherent such as yourself, but most Missourians are not so easily conned by slick talking politicians.

Anonymous said...

637...you have apparently never worked/lived in a state with strong public employee unions...look at those that do and you see huge indebtedness and public sector jobs fleeing. Private sector union membership has been decling for years but the public sector has been growing. It's all about power, whether union bosses and their controlled politicians win or the big business controlled politicians win...you offer the insights of someone stuck in the 1890'or 1930's..

Anonymous said...

@ 1:47

This article, this entire conversation is about the state of Missouri, I'm not sure what lala land you reside in. If private sector unions are declining, then why in the hell are Republicans assaulted their membership allowing employees to join without paying dues. Do you really think police and fire unions have ulterior motives other than serving the public. Your talk of union bosses controlling politicians is ridiculous, Citizens United gave businesses the rights to endlessly supply a steady stream of dark money to politicians. Hell, it even declared them a living entity. This is not about power, as you have been brainwashed to believe, this is about an assault on unions and all workers wages. You would do well to remember your history, those who don't are doomed to repeat it!

Anonymous said...

Well it looks like 147 was conned by his politicians. Unions are not perfect, but they got the hours worked per week down to 40, overtime for over 40, healthcare improvements or even healthcare in the first place, retirement plans and worker safety on the job enforced. Look at the mine operations back east if they are not union, accidents, sickness and death in those non-union jobs. Sure it is a job, but they had that in the 1800's and died in their 30's or 40's if they were lucky. 637 hit the nail on the head and not sure we want companies coming into Missouri with low paying jobs and maybe low life employees ruining our waters and land for the sake of a job. Train your coal workers on renewable energy and enhance our environment versus ruining it. Jeez, why don't these people get the facts and grow up, daddy was not right about everything.

Anonymous said...

Someone mixed your koolaid with pee..... I haven't seen a modern day fact brought up in this discussion yet.... The right to work passage, meant you could go to work somewhere that is union, without having to pay the union dues, which contribute to enrich the union bosses, and to spend money on political cause that many don't agree with. And yes, the unions did improve working conditions in the past, but now they fight to keep employees that should be fired for not working, misconduct and other issues from being fired. Come to work drunk, you should be fired...... Not protected by the unions.....

Anonymous said...

@ 3:01

You are speaking about matters of which you have absolutely no knowledge. Which probably covers just about any subject, but you want a "modern day fact"? Tell me about the passage of Citizen's United which essentially declares corporations an being or entity which is allowed to give unlimited "dark money"to the slime balls in the Republican Party that passed it. You want to talk about dues money going to "union bosses"? Guess what moron, dues are the equivalent and payment for collective bargaining, not political committees as you ignorantly suggest. Take 5 minutes to read the Taft-Hartley Act which states just that, and how that law allowed anyone to work for a union and not pay dues. That was in 1947, and it stated the person not paying dues still had to pay the equivalent of the dues to cover the collective bargaining.

Now the Republican Party in Missouri wants to make a "Right to Freeload" law saying anyone an work fo a union and not pay for the collective bargaining fee for benefits. What a bunch of cowardly freeloaders. You come to work drunk, you will be fired. In Missouri, 10% of the workforce is union, and you stupidly buy into the story that this "Right to Work o Freeload law" is all that is holding business back from coming to Missouri. Joplin Policejst this year opted for collective bargaining and you accuse them of robbing taxpayer money? You don't have the courage to work in a police or fire union, nor should you critique their salary..

They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, which makes your misstatements lethal. You claim public unions like police and fire are bankrupting our country? Again you are ignorant as to any of Turner's postings on the underfunded firemen's pension, as a result of city leaders squandering money on a "Master developer" that only developed bankruptcy proceedings. You are unaware of the "tornado mayor" selling out the taxpayers to benefit his friend. You should really read something other than fake news provided by Breitbart. You ignorance is overwhelming, I would fire you the first time you muttered such stupidity.

Anonymous said...

529..your case is weakened by your default to insults when someone disagrees with you. The Tea Party is now being replaced by the Smear Party of the hard left.

Anonymous said...

@ 2:45

Dispute any facts that I have stated, but please don't try to tell me ad hominem attacks are not responsible for our nation electing as president, a man so unqualified, so vulgar regarding women, and with more psychological defects than Randy has blog hits. Lyin' Ted, Crooked Hillary, grabbing women by the p***y because you're a celebrity, and you have the audacity to refer to the left as the smear party. Banning religions from entering these United States! Wake up cupcake, or snowflake if you prefer! We're in a whole new world now, whereas my insults on the commenters intelligence are not fake news, but facts. As I said, feel free to dispute any facts I have stated, but if Trump trolls state we are drinking pee as your friend did, expect a response in kind.

Anonymous said...

You would not know fact from fiction

Anonymous said...

@ 8:21

My facts are printed for all to see, and I can't help but note that you fail to challenge any of them. If you have "alternative" facts, post them and I will be happy to provide more of a response than "You would not know fact from fiction". As your president would say, "Sad, so weak!"