NYT: WI bill requires unions to hold annual votes and ends state's collecting dues from paychecks

[flpoljunkie]

(They are definitely trying to kill unions, and thus, destroy the middle class--and the Democratic party)

The bill makes significant changes to most public-sector union rules, limiting collective bargaining to matters of wages and limiting raises to changes in the Consumer Price Index unless the public approves higher raises in a referendum. It requires most unions to hold votes annually to determine whether most workers still wish to be members. And it ends the state’s collection of union dues from paychecks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/us/10wisconsin.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp&adxnnlx=1299758572-YrDDsl7PtJM%20z%20ONgCdi1Q

[Stuart G]

1. K and R...People need to know this......

[vaberella]

2. Send this to Rachel. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

3. Am pretty sure she will read this. It's worse than was first reported last night.

[seafan]

4. Rick Scott and the GOP in Florida are attempting the same thing. A coordinated, nationwide assault.

And it AIN'T about **balancing the budget**.


Wisconsin Senate Limits Bargaining by Public Workers

March 9, 2011

.....

The Democrats complained angrily that the manner of the move directly contradicted what the Republicans had contended all along: that collective bargaining rights had to be cut not for philosophical reasons but merely for financial ones, to fix the state’s budget gap.

“To pass this the way they did — without 20 senators — is to say that it has no fiscal effect,” said Timothy Cullen, another of the Democratic senators. “It’s admitting that this is simply to destroy public unions.”

The bill makes significant changes to most public-sector union rules, limiting collective bargaining to matters of wages and limiting raises to changes in the Consumer Price Index unless the public approves higher raises in a referendum. It requires most unions to hold votes annually to determine whether most workers still wish to be members. And it ends the state’s collection of union dues from paychecks.

Wisconsin’s battle has been the leading edge of a wider fight over public workers and collective bargaining across the country. Similar, if somewhat less dramatic, fights have played out in statehouses in places like Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Indiana, and more are expected.

.....

AND FLORIDA.


Florida is getting the poor stepchild treatment from much of the "media". Get ready for sonic booms from Florida.



(JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINEL / March 8, 2011)
Gov. Rick Scott makes a point delivering his first State of the State address, as House of Representatives Speaker Dean Cannon, of Winter Park, listens at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Tuesday evening, March 8, 2011.

Notice the *FU, Floridians* expression on Cannon's face.

Oh, and Mr. Cannon now wants to break up the Florida Supreme Court, because that upstart court rejects too many radical GOP ballot amendments for his liking.



The latest:

FL GOP Legislature ramps up assault on organized labor with 4 new bills (March 8 opening day), March 3, 2011



Here's how this progressed, starting from last month:


Heads up, Florida. SB 830, introduced by Jeb Bush operative John Thrasher, to weaken unions., February 21, 2011


Hold the phone. John Thrasher has just filed FL Senate Bill 830 to clamp down on union dues.. February 22, 2011


Florida Gov. Rick Scott now says he'd like collective bargaining removed from Constitution, February 26, 2011


Rick Scott: 'Florida would be better off if public employees couldn’t form unions.', February 26, 2011


The FL GOP are out to bankrupt unions' power by eliminating their campaign contributions., February 26, 2011




These enemies of the people of this country have bitten off more than they can chew.

[Imajika]

5. Doesn't it also allow people to quit the union?

And stop paying dues altogether?

These were the obvious union busting pieces, but seemed to get the least attention.

[flpoljunkie]

6. It certainly appears to.

[ProSense]

7. One thing to watch related to this bill that the NYT doesn't mention

Yves Smith

<...>

Update: It appears despite the Republican assertions to the contrary, the collective bargaining bill contains elements that would be deemed fiscal. This memo looks as if it would bolster a Constitutional challenge.

[flpoljunkie]

8. Thanks. This does appear to be the case.

[ProSense]

10. More

here.

[WingDinger]

9. That was the part I was surprised noone noticed.

They will kill the union oomph, then make contributions for them hard to come by, and make them hold a vote every year, or die. And the votes will drain their coffers.