SENATE BILL: Amendment to the Labor Rights Act of 2012 (Law'd)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Sponsor: TNF

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

By my count both myself and Nappy have three on the floor, so this was next for slot three.


The sponsor has 24 hours to begin advocating for this.

[TNF]

What this amendment would do, essentially, is plug an apparent hole in our labor code, which currently allows companies to replace workers who go out on strike permanently, thus rendering the right to strike essentially a massive gamble. If we are to say that workers have the right to protest unfair working conditions, low wages, and the like, how are we to do so with a straight face when that right is dependent upon their boss not bringing in people to replace them when they do it?

[Gass3268]

This will have my support.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Final vote can be started tomorrow, and problems with that?

[TNF]

Final vote can be started tomorrow, and problems with that?

None here Mr. PPT.

[TJ in Oregon]

I can't support this. Replacement workers are people too and deserve the opportunity for potential employment.

[TNF]

I can't support this. Replacement workers are people too and deserve the opportunity for potential employment.

I have little sympathy for those who would take someone else's job when they're out on strike. There are plenty of opportunities for fulfilling work out there that don't include stabbing someone else in the back to get them. Allowing companies to hire scabs only contributes to the race to the bottom that is the modern labor market.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I am going to interpet my "problems with that" as a defacto UC request and the lack of an objection means we are now at final vote. Senators, please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[TNF]

Aye.

[TJ in Oregon]

Nay

[Gass3268]

Aye

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Abstain

I am very torn on this one. I'll say first that I'm not actually the most conservative on labour issues. Unions are an essential check on capital, and the right to strike is an important part of that. If companies can hire scabs who do the job for less, it's a race to the bottom on wages. I see that. Striking will mean nothing and workers will be a lot more powerless.

At the same time, I really think this should be an issue for the regions to decide. I'm torn on Right to Work myself (and, if anything, I'd support it because I do believe individuals should have a freedom to "not associate"), but I think we should respect what the states have done themselves. I don't know exactly how this particular bill ties into Right to Work, but if we're talking about a union-shop workplace in a region without Right to Work, I really don't think businesses should be hiring scabs.

If it's a Right to Work region though, the people or their elected officials have decided that workers have the right to opt out of joining a union. Thus, workers can refuse to strike. The company can hire people not associated with the job action. I get the "free rider" problem and I know the economics of Right to Work vs. mandatory union affiliation are muddled, but we need to respect what the regions have decided for themselves.

So again, I'm a bit torn. For the time being, I will abstain. I could end up changing my mind, but I'm not sure which way I'd change it.

[bore]

Aye

[MaxQue]

AYE

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Aye, with reservations

[Sbane]

Nay

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE, but with more reservations then Polnut has probably.


This has enough votes to pass, Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[Napoleon]

Ay e

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Final Passage of the Amendment of the Labor Rights Act of 2012:

Aye (7): Bore, Gass3268, MaxQue, Napoleon, NC Yankee, Polnut, and TNF
Nay (2): sbane and TJ in Cleve
Abstain (1): HagridoftheDeep

Didn't Vote (0):

The bill has passed the Senate and has been presented to the President for executive action.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

You must be logged in to read this quote.