by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
While yesterday's small spate of primaries failed to produce much in the way of definitive moments for either major party, the day did provide a mighty big boost for the American labor movement in Missouri, a state which went solidly for Trump in 2016. Missouri voters by a vote of slightly more than 2-to-1 rejected our legislature's imposition of "right-to-work" on their fellow citizens.
Last year in one of the first moves of its new session, the Missouri State Legislature passed "right-to-work," a union-busting measure, and rushed it to the desk of the state's new Republican governor, Eric Greitens, for his signature. However, no sooner was the ink from Eric the Perv's signature dry than representatives of the state's sizable pro-union labor force decided to try and get the matter before the voters in the form of a referendum.
One afternoon in June of last year I was driving around town doing some errands when I heard a notice on the local radio station that a group wanting to get the right-to-work issue before voters was holding a free barbecue at one of our local parks. Because that was a subject about which I had strong feelings, and because I hadn't had lunch yet, I headed on over to the park and signed one of the petitions to get the measure on the ballot. A representative of the Machinists Union came up to chat with me while I read and signed the petition. He wanted me to understand that the union representatives at the park that afternoon were not necessarily advocating to repeal right-to-work in Missouri - but were there to advocate the people's right to be heard on the matter.
I had a burger, dropped a couple of dollars in their campaign jar, and then went back to running my errands.
Yesterday the people were heard - loud and clear! Not only did Missouri resoundingly reject the phony "right-to-work" argument, but the folks from the "show-me" state also demonstrated that it is possible to defeat this anti-labor villainy at the polls. Hopefully other r-t-w states with strong labor constituencies, places like Michigan and Wisconsin, will take notice and mount their own challenges to the rigged system.
The anti-labor tide began to recede yesterday, and it started right here in Missouri! I'm proud of my state - you betcha I am!
Citizen Journalist
While yesterday's small spate of primaries failed to produce much in the way of definitive moments for either major party, the day did provide a mighty big boost for the American labor movement in Missouri, a state which went solidly for Trump in 2016. Missouri voters by a vote of slightly more than 2-to-1 rejected our legislature's imposition of "right-to-work" on their fellow citizens.
Last year in one of the first moves of its new session, the Missouri State Legislature passed "right-to-work," a union-busting measure, and rushed it to the desk of the state's new Republican governor, Eric Greitens, for his signature. However, no sooner was the ink from Eric the Perv's signature dry than representatives of the state's sizable pro-union labor force decided to try and get the matter before the voters in the form of a referendum.
One afternoon in June of last year I was driving around town doing some errands when I heard a notice on the local radio station that a group wanting to get the right-to-work issue before voters was holding a free barbecue at one of our local parks. Because that was a subject about which I had strong feelings, and because I hadn't had lunch yet, I headed on over to the park and signed one of the petitions to get the measure on the ballot. A representative of the Machinists Union came up to chat with me while I read and signed the petition. He wanted me to understand that the union representatives at the park that afternoon were not necessarily advocating to repeal right-to-work in Missouri - but were there to advocate the people's right to be heard on the matter.
I had a burger, dropped a couple of dollars in their campaign jar, and then went back to running my errands.
Yesterday the people were heard - loud and clear! Not only did Missouri resoundingly reject the phony "right-to-work" argument, but the folks from the "show-me" state also demonstrated that it is possible to defeat this anti-labor villainy at the polls. Hopefully other r-t-w states with strong labor constituencies, places like Michigan and Wisconsin, will take notice and mount their own challenges to the rigged system.
The anti-labor tide began to recede yesterday, and it started right here in Missouri! I'm proud of my state - you betcha I am!
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