The Wisconsin Labor Union Battle's Implications for New York

[Omaha Steve]

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New York has closely followed Wisconsin's political battle concerning the power of labor unions -- with good reason. Wisconsin has long been at the nation's forefront in unionization and employment reform. In fact, "The Dairy State" was the first state to enact a workers' compensation law when Gov. Francis E. McGovern signed its passage 100 years ago, in 1911.

Because of Wisconsin's storied tradition of progressively establishing workers' rights, New York is keeping close tabs on how the partisan conflict plays out. Often seen as the workers' rights benchmark, Wisconsin could cause a 'domino effect' if there's a dramatic change in the strength of Wisconsin's labor unions: prompting other states to scale back on public union power as well. A brief summary of the controversial legislative slugfest reveals how the implications could be far-reaching.


Snip: What This Means for New York Unions

Many New Yorkers voiced their support for Wisconsin protestors by staging their own rally at New York City Hall. The concern is that Walker's bill will have a snowball effect on collective bargaining across the country, eventually eroding union strength in New York. The apprehension is legitimate enough that New York's own politicians have voiced concerns: Congressman Anthony Weiner stated that labor unions are "under siege" across the U.S.

The greater concern is that both New York and the federal government will trend toward reducing workers' benefits and welfare programs, including workers' compensation and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Union advocates proclaim that such actions would eliminate the nation's middle class.

While the future remains clouded in uncertainty, qualified New York workers are presently entitled to a variety of benefits when they suffer a workplace injury. Gaining full entitlement to benefits can be difficult; however, an experienced workers' comp attorney can help.

Article provided by Dennis Kenny - Attorney at Law, PC
Visit us at http://www.denniskennylaw.com