Idaho passes Republican bill to curb union rights

[fencesitter]

Sorry if this is a dupe, couldn't find a posting for it.

By Mary Wisniewski
CHICAGO | Tue Mar 8, 2011 9:02pm EST

(Reuters) - The Idaho state legislature approved a bill on Tuesday to strip public school teachers of many of their collective bargaining rights while protesters in five states rallied against Republican efforts to curb union power.

The Idaho bill, which excludes issues like class size and workloads from negotiations for the state's 12,000 unionized teachers, was given final approval by the Republican-led House and is expected to be signed by Republican Governor Butch Otter.

The bill also eliminates teacher tenure, limits the duration of teacher labor contracts to one year and removes seniority as a factor in determining the order of layoffs.

Idaho is one of several U.S. states to take up Republican plans for sweeping restrictions on public sector unions in what has become a growing national debate over labor union power.

Republicans say the proposals are needed to rescue recession-battered budgets from deficits, but Democrats and union supporters say they are an attack on organized labor that could linger as an issue into the 2012 presidential elections.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/09/us-usa-unions-states-idUSTRE7280BS20110309

[Sheepshank]

1. Idaho seem to be such a Rep Sychophant state.

Whatever the most recent talking meme for Reps...they are right there passing a law.

[bluestateguy]

2. This got very little national media attention

Stripping teachers of tenure will result in more good teachers being sacked than bad teachers.

Any teacher who dares to do something controversial, like say teach evolution or global warming will be fair game for being harassed right out of a job.

Just watch it happen.

[Kdillard]

3. That is exactly what they want to do.

[ProSense]

4. Republicans don't care. They passed this bill despite massive public opposition

Idaho legislature strips teachers' collective bargaining rights

<...>

The state's paper of record, the Idaho Statesman, lambasted the legislature in an editorial today: "But 48 House Republicans weren’t about to let public outcry and unanswered questions get in their way. In a partisan power play—fueled by an artificial sense of urgency—they voted to rewrite the teachers’ collective bargaining process." That public outcry has been loud and overwhelming. Public testimony, calls and e-mail to the legislature have been overwhelmingly negative, 95 percent in opposition to the plan.

In any other state, that kind of opposition would have led more than just nine Republicans to oppose the bill. But one-party rule has made that one party so arrogant they have no fear of running roughshod over their constituents. There's a glimmer of hope for the opposition in Idaho in the election of an old friend of Daily Kos, Larry Grant, as Democratic state party chair, an enthusiastic and effective campaigner. Hopefully he can start getting the party mobilized around the renewed hatred Idahoans feel for their legislature.

[fencesitter]

5. We'll see if this matters next election cycle..

Surprisingly, Idaho's biggest industry is science and technology It accounts for over 25% of the State's total revenue and 70%+ of the State's exports (Wiki). You would think education would be a priority, but the potatoheads rule.