Time to start checking for the union label on Al Hoerth.

Time to start checking for the union label on Hoerth.

Why would I say that? He’s following closely behind Gil Koetzle who is labor's most visible and vocal advocate in South Dakota. And for the labor bills that Koetzle is sponsoring, it's like Hoerth is attached at the hip.
SB 124 – repealing certain right to work provisions just in case the right to work provisions of the Constitution are removed.

And the bill that's spawning it –

SJR 12 - To propose a constitutional amendment to repeal the right to work provisions of the State Constitution.
Why does this strike me as blogworthy? Hoerth's district doesn't strike me as very "labor oriented." And this "pro-union" "anti-right-to-work" attitude wasn't aired during the campaign that led up to his taking office. He was one of those running as a "new democrat."

But yet here he is, trying to kill South Dakota's right to work provisions.

Meet the new democrat, same as the old.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Al Hoerth is a one time candidate, he made a deal with his friend Duane Sutton to step down next time and let Duane back in.
Anonymous said…
These bills would be devastating to SD's economy, anyone dumb enough to sponsor them or vote for them deserves to be voted out of office.
Forget Duane, his last name is Sutton and Isaac will beat him next time, too.
Anonymous said…
I don't know about the % of labor membership in Brown County, but it has had a number of very active unions and union members involved with the Democratic Party.

I don't find that to be a problem at all. And while I think the right to work repeal won't pass, its demise would probably do more to help unionize our state's trade and manufacturing workers and increase blue collar wages. I say good luck to Al and Gil. And thank God someone is representing working people in the state and not just the chamber of commerce types.

Todd Epp
Senior Labor Affairs Editor
S.D. Watch
http://thunewatch.squarespace.com
Anonymous said…
Ask any working man or woman, unionized or not, in this state what they think of SD's right to work laws. They'll tell you they're with Gil and Al.
Anonymous said…
I wonder if all you union haters actually support the actions of "pre-union" corporate America. Read some history, do some research. Over all, Unions have been good for America.

I would like to see restrictions on what the union can spend dues money for. Sometimes the union lobbies and supports "things" I dont agree with. But I do not mind paying for "representation" on job related issues.
Anonymous said…
Right to work = Business right to pay workers next to nothing... "Been there said..." the bills would be devastating to our SD economy, that is laughable, where do you come up with such material?

I can think of many other pro-union states that have a much better economy than this stagnant economy here in SD (think our neighbors MN and IA).
Anonymous said…
Help me out here - doesn't right to work (or employment at will) render non-compete clauses in employment contracts null and void?
Anonymous said…
No, they're two totally seperate issues. Right-to-work simply means go can't be forced or coerced into joining a union.
Anonymous said…
Folks from back East, that worked for "pre-union" America, are still alive, neat stories.

My dad remembers the company police (Bulls) coming to their company shack where they lived (paid rent) and warned his mother to never buy from a traveling salesman again. See, she bought a chicken from a salesman, so the company didnt make any money from the sale, so the company police had a habit of crackin folks over the head that didnt spend their money in the "company" store. Then the coal mine stopped paying in money and paid the miners in "script" that could only be spent at the company store. Is that the America you anti union people want ?
Unions were formed to stop the slave labor, thank God. Fighting for workers rights is very similar to fighting for freedom.

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