Unions Ready for Battle as Indiana GOP Rushes to Pass 'Right-to-Work'

Governor Forced to Reverse Order Restricting Citizens' Access to Capitol

The line to get inside Indiana's statehouse stretched down the street and around the block Jan. 4 as activists prepared to fight the GOP's latest attempt to pass anti-union "right-to-work" legislation.

As Indiana's 2012 legislative session opened Jan. 4, CWA members were among thousands of workers who packed the capitol and chanted "Union!" to protest the Republican leadership's renewed and rapid push to pass an anti-union "right-to-work" law.

The fight is expected to be especially intense, with reports that Republicans want to pass the bill before the nation's eyes are on Indianapolis for the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

For now, Democratic lawmakers are trying to slow the process by denying Republicans a quorum. Democrats remained in caucus behind closed doors on Wednesday. It's not clear what will happen Friday, Jan. 6, when a joint House-Senate hearing is scheduled on the bill.

Workers scored an early victory Wednesday as Gov. Mitch Daniels was forced by public pressure to overturn an order capping the number of people who could be inside the statehouse. The order, which didn't apply to lobbyists, was designed to impede the large protests that forced lawmakers to table right-to-work legislation last year.

As activists arrived, only one entrance to the capitol was open and the line of people waiting to enter stretched down the street and around the block, CWA Local 4900 Vice President Preston Dorfmeyer said.

Once inside, they were restricted to a single elevator and found a formidable police presence. "At every office entrance I saw, there were two police officers posted," Dorfmeyer said. "I counted at least 70 police officers stationed inside the statehouse and at least two dozen more outside."

Although Daniels' announcement lifting the order came about 10:30 a.m., Dorfmeyer said, "It was after 1 p.m. before I saw the line to enter get down to a manageable level."

As always in right-to-work battles, Indiana Republicans make the tired claim that the law restricting private-sector union rights is necessary to attract business to their state. Not true, says Thomas McKenna, a former director of Indiana's Department of Commerce.

McKenna told the New York Times that it's absurd for the bill's supporters to suggest that even a small number of companies ruled out Indiana simply because it does not have right-to-work status.

"He said that the legislation's supporters had repeatedly refused to cite the name of any company that has taken that position. 'I think they're making it up,' he said," the Times reported.