Ind. panel OKs 'right to work' in party-line vote

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Bloomberg:

A committee of Indiana lawmakers voted along party lines Wednesday to put legislation that would prohibit workers from being required to pay union representation fees on the plate for the General Assembly's 2012 session.

The Legislature's Interim Study Committee on Employment voted 5-4 to advance the "right-to-work" proposal. Republicans in both chambers of the General Assembly have said they are ready to file proposals.

The divisive issue that's expected to dominate much of the 2012 General Assembly's debate sparked a five-week walkout by House Democrats during this year's session. But new fines put in place by the Republican-led Legislature make another walkout much less likely.

Indiana's unions spent much of the summer protesting the "right-to-work" measure at the study committee's hearings and packed its final hearing Wednesday.

"I feel certain the testimony we heard indicated that `right to work' is a good tool for economic development and something we should consider," said Sen. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville, chairman of the study committee and author of the report approved Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, issued a cryptic response shortly after the vote: "If they choose to continue these radical attacks on working Hoosier families, Indiana House Democrats will reserve the right to respond appropriately."

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"Radical attacks on working Hoosier families"?