Republicans hope to make union holdout Kentucky a right-to-work state

[Omaha Steve]

X post in Labor and GD

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/11/03/is-kentucky-poised-to-be-newest-right-to-work-state/

Published November 03, 2014FoxNews.com



Nov. 3, 2014: Phinis Hundley, a labor organizer for Kentucky Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes puts out a campaign sign in front of the United Auto Workers hall.


WASHINGTON – As the hard-hitting contest between Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger Alison Lundergan Grimes hogs all the attention in Kentucky, another potential battle is brewing at the state legislative level that could change the labor landscape in Coal Country.

Kentucky is one of the last remaining pro-union holdouts in the South that does not have a so-called right-to-work law -- or law allowing workers not to pay union dues if they don't want to.

But if Republicans do well in the state legislative races in Kentucky, the Bluegrass State could become the new face of the right-to-work movement. The GOP holds a majority in the Kentucky Senate and needs to win only five House seats to secure a majority in that chamber. If that happens, Republicans are poised to push through a list of stalled conservative measures -- including a “right to work” bill, telephone deregulation and anti-abortion legislation.

Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer has already gone on the record to say if both the state House and Senate go Republican, the first order of business will be getting a right-to-work bill passed.

FULL story at link.