The Indiana House of Representatives has begun debating proposed amendments to a divisive “right-to-work” bill.The issue has prompted several boycotts by House Democrats opposed to the measure, which would prohibit the collection of mandatory union representation fees. Democrats returned to work today after missingthree days of business last week.An amendment sponsored by Democrat Scott Pelath that would kill the bill was defeated in the Republican-controlled chamber. Pelath suggested the issue could be debated during this year’s election campaigns.Final House action on “right-to-work” is expected this week. A companion measure is expected to win approval in the GOP-led Senate.Republican say the labor policy is needed to spur job growth; Democrats call it an effort to break up unions.Meanwhile, dozens of northwestern Indiana union members took their protest over pending right-to-work legislation in the General Assembly to the Indianapolis home of Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma today.Buses carried members of Local 41 of the Laborers' International Union to Bosma's house on the far northeast side of Indianapolis.Business Manager Kevin Roach says House Republicans want to hurt unions at the dinner table, so his local decided to take the dispute to Bosma's.The demonstration was peaceful, but state troopers were on the scene. Bosma has been at the Statehouse tdoay.(Information for this story also came from the Associated Press)
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
