Union Members to Pack Committee Hearing in Opposition to Middle Class Attack

When the House Government Operations and Elections Committee convenes on Thursday morning, throngs of union members will greet them to oppose an all-out attack on middle class families.

The bill, HF 192, will lower every Minnesotan’s pay by making Minnesota a so-called “Right to Work” state and put people out of work who deliver public services such as snow plowing and roadside assistance.

“This legislation is a Wall Street CEO’s dream and a middle class family’s nightmare,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. “It’s a coordinated national attack on working people by CEOs who spent more than a billion dollars to elect politicians who support their agenda.”

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker (both union and non-union) in states with these laws makes roughly $5,500 less each year than someone in Minnesota.

Last month, the Minnesota AFL-CIO asked lawmakers to stay focused on creating more family-supporting jobs and balancing the budget fairly.  Knutson said HF 192 does the exact opposite.

“Why on earth would legislators want to put even more middle class Minnesotans out of work and then turn around and ask everyone to work for less? This is yet another bill forcing middle class families to sacrifice for the benefit of a wealthy few.”

WHO: Rank and file union members and leaders.

WHAT: Observing and testifying against HF 192.

WHERE: Room 5, Minnesota State Office Building (100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul)

WHEN: Thursday, February 10, 10:15 am