Reply #185: 744 Bills - More states poised to pursue anti-union legislation (No ALEC) (LATimes 04-01-2011) [View All]

More states poised to pursue anti-union legislation
More than 700 bills, many of them similar to new laws in Wisconsin and Ohio, have been introduced in nearly every state in the country. GOP officials are emboldened, but union supporters are girding for a fight.
By Richard Simon - Los Angeles Times
April 01, 2011
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/01/nation/la-na-unions-20110402

More than 700 bills have been introduced in virtually every state. Nearly half of the states are considering legislation to limit public employees' collective bargaining rights. Unions are girding for a fight.
Now that the governors of Ohio and Wisconsin have signed bills to limit public workers' collective bargaining rights, their fellow Republicans in other states are expected to gain momentum in their efforts to take on unions.

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The National Conference of State Legislatures is tracking an explosion of 744 bills that largely target public-sector unions, introduced in virtually every state.

"Almost every week, I read of at least one more bill to restrict union rights at the state level," said John Logan, director of the labor studies program at San Francisco State University.

Nearly half of the states are considering legislation to limit public employees' collective bargaining rights. In New Hampshire, the House last week approved a measure that one union leader assailed as "Wisconsin on steroids."

But it's not just budgetary concerns driving Republican officeholders to take on unions, traditionally a strong Democratic ally.{{stupid statement with NO AND...???? AP stringers}}

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As the fight intensifies, a Gallup poll released Friday shows that 48% of respondents agreed with public employee unions compared with 39% who backed the governors.