House forced to deal with Right-to-Work Amendment

Posted at 2:25 AM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature

The Minnesota House tabled a measure that would have let voters decide if union membership and the payment of union dues should be voluntary for all workers. Rep. Mark Buesgens made a motion to send the proposal to the Rules Committee. He told reporters before he took the action that he wanted to get the bill moving again.

"It's obviously not getting a hearing where it's at," Buesgens told reporters. "It is very important to a large amount of my constituents. In fact, I heard more on this issue in the crowds that I hang around with than a stadium bill."

Buesgens also told reporters that he believed his motion would be the last chance for the House to vote on the issue this session.

"If they vote against this procedural motion, they have voted to kill Right-to-work for this session," he said.

The House voted 118-9 to table the bill.

This is the second time that a member tried to move the Right-to-Work amendment in the House. Rep. Doug Wardlow, R-Eagan, made a similar motion a few months ago. He was absent from the chamber when he was called to act on his motion.

The state's labor unions have been lobbying heavily to defeat the Right-to-Work amendment in the Legislature. The Senate successfully move the bill to the Senate Rules Committee but Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said it doesn't have the votes to get out of committee.

Comments (7)

This shouldn't move forward. It toes the line to fascism.
It might be reasonable to outlaw union shops in government jobs, but to outlaw union shops in the private sector is a rediculous government intrusion in employee/employer relations.

Posted by sayWhat | April 27, 2012 3:24 AM

This shouldn't move forward. It toes the line to fascism.
It might be reasonable to not allow union shops in government jobs, but to outlaw union shops in the private sector is a rediculous government intrusion in employee/employer relations.

Posted by sayWhat | April 27, 2012 3:26 AM

If a comment is stupid, repeating it three times doesn't make it any more intelligent. How is letting workers have the right to decide whether or not to join a union "fascist." So -- if 80 percent of the people support this does it make them fascist as well? I think fascism is when a small tiny minority dictates to the overwhelming majority. Let the people decide.

Posted by sd48webmaster | April 27, 2012 3:34 PM

Tne reason we haven't seen jobs created in MN is the attempt to hold the line until a " right to work" law is passed. Yes the government employees are unionized along with labor unions etc. Unions have allowed the people to have a voice and work with reasonable and safe conditions. Gives them a way to negotiate a decent wage. That is the voice that ALEC wants stilled. Be careful MN and don't just think that is is a good thing. Wages and working conditions would change for public and private employees. We need to get the ALEC out of MN politics and put our people to work.

Posted by Diane Kay Burns | April 27, 2012 5:48 PM

The point of the unions is to retain the funds they currently collect, That is all they are concerned about. I grew up in the stae of Iowa, and it is a right to work state. There is no initiation fee's to be in a union, and on does not have to join if one does not want to. Bottom line is if this bill passes the unions loose, it does NOT mean the employee who Chooses to be a member looses anyhting. It Truely is about the dues they collect.

Posted by Mark | April 28, 2012 8:17 AM

Identical comments repeated in short order are not always the poster making multiple posts. I have had some of my posts repeated, even though I am 100% sure that I only posted it once.

Posted by davidz | April 28, 2012 11:45 AM

I was a single mother for many years and by joining a UNION I became knowledgeable in my field, saftey orientated, and was able to support my family without any state assistance. While I trained I earned apprentice wages. I completed 7000 hours of training, had no education debt, and still able to provide for my family. When you take Unions out of the equation you are saying that Mr. A and Mr. B and Mrs. C can be standing side by side working at the same job and because Mr. A chose not to sign up he is still entitled to the same wages and benefits and Mr. B and Mrs. C signed up for. And yes paid for with their working and window dues. No wonder our economy is going to the dumps and we are the ones pushing the cart!!!

Posted by Donna Mae Lawson | April 30, 2012 1:17 PM

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