MA: 2012 Union Liberation Bill (Vetoed)

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

2012 Union Liberation Bill
Section 1 
 • Union busting will be legally defined as a practice that is undertaken by an employer or their agents to prevent employees from joining a labor union, or subvert, stop workers right to join, or destroy unions that already exist.
 • The above practice will be made illegal in the Mideast Region in order to protect the rights of citizen workers in the region.
 • Punishments for companies may include large fines totaling no more than twenty five percent of their annual income for that year that the union was affected by the aforementioned practice.
Section 2
• An additional ballot to require an employer recognize a union is herby eliminated, if a majority of workers have already signed cards expressing their wish to have a union
 • Requiring an additional ballot will be made illegal in the Mideast Region in order to protect the rights of citizen workers in the region.
 • Punishments for companies that force an additional ballot may include large fines totaling no more than twenty five percent of their annual income for that year that the union was affected by the aforementioned practice.
Section 3
• Workers in all professions are allowed to unionize; this includes the fallow professions that were once prohibited:
      o Agricultural workers including family farms
      o Domestic workers
      o First-level managers
      o Independent contractors
      o Regional and state government workers 
Section 4
• Labor Relations Act is hereby repealed

Sponsor: Gass3268

[Gass3268]

What are people's thoughts on this? I feel like all of these provisions will benifit workers of all backgrounds and fields.

[Senator X]

I hope that it is alright if I make a speech on this subject on the floor of the Assembly.

I would like to say a few words about this piece of legislation, but I speak to you not as a Liberal or even as an Assemblyman, but as a Mideasterner.  Unions have always existed to protect workers from exploitation, dangerous working conditions, and the excesses of corporate greed.  And these guardians of the work force do their job well.  Indeed, this protection is nothing if not good for businesses as it facilitates a symbiotic relationship between management and labor instead of a parasitic one.  The fight to protect a worker's right to organize is not a war against management and must never become such, instead, it is a battle for fairness.  Just as the pendulum must never swing too far towards labor, so to must it not swing too far towards management.  

However, a past session of the Mideast Assembly erected a great wall known as the Labor Relations Act which has blocked unions from protecting workers, and so the pendulum has now swung to far towards management.  But with this legislation, we have an opportunity to free the great guardians of labor from the chains of the Labor Relations Act and give them the power to protect workers from exploitation.  Last September, the voices of the people rose up and shouted "Assemblymen, Governor, tear down this wall!"  And so tear down the wall, we must.  This legislation represents an opportunity to this and so, I urge my fellow Assemblymen and our distinguished Governor to join Assemblyman Gass3268 and myself in supporting this vital piece of legislation.  The time is now, the mideast needs it, and the people of this great region demand it.  Thank you

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

I am staunchly opposed to any removal of the LRA.

[For Oklahoma]

I'm not exactly a pro-union type, but I'm pretty intrigued by this bill. Haven't made up my mind on how I'll vote yet.

[Gass3268]

I'll be introducing some admendments later today or tomorrow to adress some concerns voiced here and else where.

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Seeing no further debate, this is brought to a vote.  Members will vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN.  This will be a 48-hour vote.

[Senator X]

Aye

[Progressive Realist]

Aye

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

NAY

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

As usual, this will be a 48-hour vote.  I apparently neglected to say that in my last post.

[Gass3268]

AYE!

[For Oklahoma]

Nay

[Inks.LWC Supports Chuck Hagel]

Since everyone has voted, and everyone has affirmed their position to the Governor (other than the bill's sponsor, whose position can be assumed), I see no evidence that anyone might change his vote in the next day, so I'm going to close voting now.

The AYEs are 3, and the NAYs are 2.  The AYEs have it, and the bill is passed.  The bill is now passed onto the Governor for his signature or veto.