Democrats return to work at Indiana Statehouse Monday

After sitting out the first three days of the General Assembly, Democrats returned to work on the floor of the Indiana House of Representatives, virtually assured of losing their fight to halt Republican Right to Work legislation Monday.

For the first time this session GOP House Speaker Brian Bosma was able to call a quorum and begin work on a legislative agenda that includes a Right to Work bill as a priority. The bill would ban labor unions from collecting dues at worksites even from non-union workers.  

Republicans said such legislation would bring new jobs to Indiana. Democrats argue it would lower wages of Hoosier workers.

House Minority Leader Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, called for statewide hearings on the bill and a public vote.

"Let's meet in the next election and debate this. It'll make the election more exciting and interesting and we might get about 85 percent participation.

"You ought to be able to have a referendum on a bill that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars on families," said Bauer.

Governor Daniels told reporters he respected the rights of Democrats to "make a gesture that indicates the depth of their convictions," of their opposition to the legislation but that now it was time to go to work. The governor said he will mention Right to Work legislation as a priority in his final State of the State message Tuesday night.