Coordinating with the American Legislative Exchange Council, Indiana Republicans are again pushing a Right to Work law. Right to Work is often called “Right to Work for Less” by labor, because it effectively bans union shops and thus weakens unions’ positions in collective bargaining.
Republican State Senator Joe Buck had a barrel of fun trying to explain the rationale for this to the Kokomo Perspective:
KP: So, is it about being able to pay a lesser wage to be more competitive?
Buck: No, no. They’re already receiving a lesser wage due to inflation. If you’re making $20 an hour, but your dollar is worth $15 an hour, the idea here is, if we can bring those $15 and $20 an hour jobs that are going to Right to Work states, so much the better for Indiana’s workers.
KP: We’ve been pretty fortunate over the past decade in bringing manufacturers to Indiana — especially in Kokomo. How have we lost out on jobs? Do you know of companies that have said, ‘No thanks’ to Indiana because we are not a Right to Work state?
Buck: I can’t give you specifics. I don’t know what you’re after.
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KP: I wonder if you have some anecdotal evidence where not having Right to Work kept us from getting jobs.
Buck: I can get you a list.
KP: That would be great.
Senator Buck did give the Kokomo Perspective something. Fair warning from the paper’s editors: “Note that this is not a ‘list,’ as Buck claimed existed. Rather, it is a compilation of quotes from site selectors and consultants. Very few actual businesses are listed at any point. In fact, only three businesses are named by the site selectors as preferring Right to Work states.”
Indiana Democrats walked out over Right to Work this year, staying gone for five weeks. Indiana Republicans say curbing the unions will be their top priority in the upcoming session.
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