Indiana lawmakers are wrapping up a four-hour hearing on a controversial labor bill pushed by the GOP majority.The Senate Labor Committee is expected to vote today on so-called “right-to-work” legislation that would prohibit unions at private companies from collecting mandatory dues or fees.Democratic Senator Tim Skinner says he’s skeptical of GOP claims that the law is needed to create more jobs in Indiana."I don’t see any empirical evidence that right to work will do that. I’ve read the evidence on both sides. There’s as much that debunks that myth as there is that carries that thing forward," he said. Republicans have said many companies have by-passed Indiana for investment because it lacks a right-to-work law. GOP Sen. Carlin Yoder says the bill is simply intended to help the nine percent of Indiana workers who are unemployed. For the second year, the issue has prompted another boycott of legislative business by House Democrats, and Statehouse demonstrations by hundreds of union members.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
