Wednesday, January 11, 2012

OK workers to IN: 'Don't do it!'

The Indiana Statehouse gets occupied again today. 
Oklahoma workers today are holding a press conference in the Indiana Capitol to tell Hoosiers that they were lied to about right-to-work laws.

Oklahoma was the first state since Nafta to pass a right-to-work-for-less bill, and the results were devastating to workers.

From the tweetosphere, here's what we understand is going on:
@INAFLCIO Workers marching through Statehouse chanting "what's disgusting? Union busting" #inunion #RTW
@marybschneider OK worker says no doubt resulted in job loss, lower wages that had neg ripple effect on small biz there
@INAFLCIO Workers who live in RTW state OK talk about broken promises and myths of law. #inlegis #InUnion
@INAFLCIO Ok workers take about secondary job loss as a result of RTW. #InUnion #inlegis
@INAFLCIO RTW lure only low wage jobs, say OK workers. #InUnion #inlegis
@cathysherwin On personal note, I have family that left Oklahoma because of lack of good jobs. #RTW doesn't create jobs, just lowers wages. #inunion
@marybschneider: Worker says rtw did not mitigate job losses, as more lost than gained & any new jobs had lower wages, benefits. #INunion
@marybschneider: OK workers speak of unkept promises that biz was lined up at border waiting for rtw. #inunion #indiana #1u #P2
A recent Economic Policy Institute study reports,
In the 10 years since the law was passed, the number of new companies coming into the state has decreased by one-third (Oklahoma Department of Commerce 2011). Indeed, the same two OCPA staff analysts who authored the most recent RTW study—Moody and Warcholik—also published a 2010 article showing that Oklahoma has suffered a net out-migration of jobs to other states.
In the 10 years since Oklahoma adopted its right-to-work law, the number of manufacturing jobs in the state has fallen by one-third (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011).
Stay strong, Hoosiers!