More states poised to pursue anti-union legislation

[The Northerner]

Reporting from Washington — More than 700 bills have been introduced in virtually every state. Nearly half of the states are considering legislation to limit public employees' collective bargaining rights. Unions are girding for a fight.

Now that the governors of Ohio and Wisconsin have signed bills to limit public workers' collective bargaining rights, their fellow Republicans in other states are expected to gain momentum in their efforts to take on unions.

"Now it's Tennessee's turn," the state's Republican lieutenant governor, Ron Ramsey, said in a recent letter posted on his Facebook page. Citing Ohio and Wisconsin, he urged support for legislation that would "prevent government employee unions from locking taxpayers into long-term union contracts that we cannot afford."

The National Conference of State Legislatures is tracking an explosion of 744 bills that largely target public-sector unions, introduced in virtually every state.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-unions-20110402,0,3452790.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fnation+%28L.A.+Times+-+National+News%29

[Tesha]

1. This is ALEC's doing, funded by the KochRoaches. (NT)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Legislative_Exchange_Council

[polichick]

2. At least it'll serve to fire people up all over the country and get out the vote for...

Election 2012.

[muntrv]

3. The backlash cometh.

[Arctic Dave]

4. One of our crack monkey repugs tried to sponsor a bill to bust unions and

was sot down. I guess his buddies told him that many of their constituents are union in their districts and would have their asses handed to them next election cycle.

Yes, that crack monkey is Gatto.

[drm604]

5. Have they seen what's going on in other states?

They must like being despised by their constituents.