OP-ED: The war on workers has arrived in Harrisburg. Here's why we have to stop it: Rick Bloomingdale

When school teachers, firefighters, police, and students occupied the state Capitol in Madison, Wisc., to expose and protest the attacks on collective bargaining by  Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-dominated Legislature the questions for Pennsylvanians was: Could it happen here.

It has happened in several other states with the passage of so-called right-to-work laws that have nothing to do with job creation or workers’ rights, and everything to do with weakening the bargaining strength of working families and making it much more difficult for workers to create good jobs and join the middle class.

Now it appears very likely that we will be facing a similar challenge to our collective bargaining rights here in Harrisburg.  And if you think that politics has become too polarized now. Wait until you see what happens if this gains more traction.

Members, leaders, and representatives of labor unions across Pennsylvania understand the threat that this bill poses to their ability to negotiate on a level playing field with their employer and to the voice of all working families. It singles out unions only for unnecessary and burdensome rules and restrictions.

And even more dangerous is the fact that it is a first step in passing right-to-work, “for less” in Pennsylvania: prohibiting all unions representing both public and private workers from collecting dues or fair share fees.

If you look at the co-sponsors of the legislation they are the same group of legislators that are the co-sponsors of right-to-work, “for less” legislation.

This is a union-busting bill.

Their supporters are the Commonwealth Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council. Their efforts are being funded by wealthy families and foundations that want to completely eliminate unions and collective bargaining.

These are the same foundations and wealthy individuals who have been waging war on workers in state after state –from Wisconsin to Michigan.

Their right wing agenda is unpopular in Pennsylvania so now they will try to weaken organized labor to tilt the balance of power in politics and legislation in their favor. They know that destroying unions is the quickest way to destroy the middle class and enrich themselves.

So why should you care about this attack on labor unions?

Ask yourself: "Am I doing better in today’s economy or am I falling further behind?"

If you are like most of us, your wages aren’t keeping up with living costs, and now you have probably determined that you won’t be able to retire when you planned to and will have to continue working indefinitely.

Workers have lost ground for over three decades. Do you think this legislation that weakens unions and tilts the playing field even more in favor of big corporations will improve the lives of working families?

It will make it harder for unions to bargain collectively for good wages and decent pensions. It will make it much more difficult to elect good candidates that are fair and do support working families.

And it will make it that much more difficult to pass legislation that creates good jobs, improves the wages and living standards of working families and communities in Pennsylvania.

This is an extremely bad proposal made by extreme groups and their friends in the Legislature. It doesn’t represent the views of the majority of Pennsylvanians. It is anti-worker and anti-middle class. We need to make sure it never sees the light of day.

Rick Bloomingdale is president of the Pennsylvania branch of the AFL-CIO.

Source: PennLive.com