In desperate procedural move, 'Right to Work' supporters admit bill isn't about jobs

Today, in a desperate move to keep the irresponsible "Right to Work" bill alive, State Senator Dave Thompson had the bill, that has bipartisan opposition, moved from the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth committee to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety committee.

"By insisting this bill be taken out of the jobs committee, Senator Thompson admitted that his reckless 'right to work' bill has nothing to do with creating jobs," said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. "Plain and simple, this unsafe, unfair, and unnecessary amendment is a bad deal for middle class Minnesotans.

Thompson’s bill is a bad deal for middle-class Minnesotans because it’s unsafe for the everyday heroes who protect and serve us.

“Right to work would make it more difficult for nurses to bargain for safe staffing levels and for emergency responders, like police and firefighters, to negotiate for things that keep us all safe—like faster response times and life-saving emergency equipment,” said Mike Smith, a Fire Captain with the City of Saint Paul and a member of IAFF Local 21.

"All this bill does is tilt the scales even more toward corporate special interests," said Mark Krey, a special education paraprofessional at West St. Paul Schools and a member of SEIU Local 284.  "I hope our legislators will instead start focusing on creating jobs, investing in school, and completing Minnesota's economic recovery."

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The Minnesota AFL-CIO is a labor federation made up of more than 1,000 affiliate unions, representing more than 300,000 working people throughout the state.