Servitude Ends In Kentucky: State Kills Prevailing Wages, Passes Right-To-Work

Mish Talk ^ | 1-7-2017 | Mish Shedlock

[blam]

Mish Shedlock
January 7, 2017

In a major setback for organized labor, Kentucky passed right-to-work legislation and repealed the state’s prevailing wage law.

“Organized labor suffered its first major legislative setback due to the 2016 elections on Saturday, when Kentucky Republicans gave final approval to right-to-work legislation and repealed the state’s prevailing wage law. Both bills are expected to be signed into law by the governor, and will take effect immediately.

Labor leaders were equally troubled by the legislature’s move to gut the state’s prevailing wage law. Such laws require that employers pay certain minimum wages on work funded by public money. Backers of the laws say they help make sure companies accepting taxpayer dollars don’t drive down wages and working conditions. Opponents argue they inflate the cost of public works projects.

The repeal means prevailing wages will no longer apply to construction workers building schools and government buildings.

Charlie Essex, the financial secretary for Local 369 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Louisville, called the measure “an attack on union people.” He estimated that the prevailing wage law applied to more than 30 percent of union construction work in Kentucky.

Backed by business lobbies, Republican lawmakers around the country have been aggressive in pushing right-to-work bills and prevailing wage repeals in recent years. When Democrats lose control of a statehouse chamber or the governor’s mansion, they are often powerless to stop them.

Long confined to the South and West, right-to-work proponents have recently made inroads elsewhere in the country, including even the industrial Midwest. Since 2012, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia have all gone right-to-work. Kentucky will be the 27th such state, making it more the norm than the exception around the country.”

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[SamAdams76]

Have you ever been in management? Because it typically does not work that way. As a manager, I want to surround myself with the best possible people, fully cognizant that they may take my job someday, which is usually a good thing because it means I'm probably moving up myself. I have never seen in my business career a manager trying to knock out underlings out of fear of them taking his job somebody.

In your example, the one who is second in command is better off moving on. If he's good enough to be second in command, he's good enough to work just about anywhere and who would want to work for a company with a CEO who is out to eliminate threats to his own position as opposed to making his company as successful as it can be?

[Figment]

Good. Maybe they can find a job in KY and quit coming to TN

[gibsonguy]

I meant no offense & actually if someone wants to join a union that’s fine of course. In the past I have been forced and it sucks. RTW seems like be the best remedy to forced union membership. If l’ve misunderstood your point my apologies.

[Rusty0604]

It’s not the state it’s the employer. Employers usually have a reason when they fire someone, they would be stupid to just go around firing a good worker for no reason when they have to replace them.

[Flaming Conservative]

Thank you for being so gracious.