INDIANAPOLIS | In a shot across the bow of organized labor, leaders of the Republican-controlled Indiana House and Senate declared Monday that passing a right-to-work law is their top legislative priority.
House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, and Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said they will lead the effort to make Indiana the 23rd right-to-work state when the General Assembly convenes in January.
"Right-to-work means back to work for the unemployed," Bosma said. "While we are the envy of the Midwest in our job creation efforts, economic development experts tell us that removing the last barriers to job creation will help the quarter of a million unemployed Hoosiers get back to work."
Long said many companies planning to relocate will not even consider bringing their jobs to Indiana because it is not a right-to-work state.
Under a right-to-work law, nonunion members at an union workplace do not pay for union services they receive, such as collective bargaining.
"It forces organized labor to represent workers who refuse to pay for services, thus severely depleting their ability to effectively represent dues-paying members in fights for better wages, working conditions and needed safety precautions," said Nancy Guyott, president of the Indiana AFL-CIO.
Hoosier union members, including at least nine buses of United Steelworkers from Gary, Porter County and elsewhere in northern Indiana, are expected to fill the Statehouse on Tuesday for the legislature's ceremonial Organization Day meeting.
They plan to speak one-on-one with lawmakers and explain that studies show right-to-work leads to reduced wages and benefits for all workers — union and non-union — and does not bring in the jobs advocates claim it will.
House Democratic leader Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, who led his members on a five-week walkout last session in part to stop a right-to-work proposal, would not rule out similar action this session.
"We are willing and able to do what is necessary," Bauer said. "We may be in the minority, but we have a duty to protect ourselves against the tyranny of the majority."
According to Bosma, identical right-to-work proposals will be introduced in both chambers of the General Assembly, though the House will act first.
Bosma said he intends to give right-to-work a full debate and promised no "sneak attacks" to move the proposal through the legislative process.
Senate Democratic leader Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville, said she's skeptical of that promise because Bosma did not notify Democrats of his announcement prior to making it Monday and alerted reporters less than an hour before his 8 a.m. region time news conference.
Bosma said that was done intentionally to avoid attracting union members to the announcement.
"I didn't want to get shouted down," Bosma said.