“HB 474, the right to work bill is a union busting/employee negotiating busting bill that originated out of one of the right wing groups from VA. Basically, what it does is makes it illegal to be forced to join a union or pay to offset the costs of contract negotiations (fair share). Currently state employees pay 59% of what dues is, if they don’t want to join a collective bargaining group. Some complain it isn’t fair to be forced to pay anything; they want the benefits at no cost to them and free load on the dues paying members. Others argue that if you don’t want to help pay for pay raises, insurance and other benefits, then you shouldn’t get them; interesting arguments.”

Basically employees who wish to opt out of the Union because they do not want to associate with it (that silly Amendment in the Constitution – Freedom of Association) they are FORCED to pay a fee regardless because some employees can’t bargain for themselves and have to submit to the ‘collective’ union.

“I have been told, and as a former state union member, that the state employees, in a 20 year period gave up pay raises for 8 of those years to keep our medical (which is a very good program). As a state probation/parole officer I was willing to work for less money than the private sector to insure Dorrie and the kids had good insurance.”

And how much did the taxpayers pay for that medical program?  How many excess days off did you get per year over what is average in the private sector?  The facts are that public sector employees make more than private sector employees for the same jobs and when you factor in benefits it’s almost triple what the private sector (the taxpayers) are making.

“That is all well and good when the economy is doing good and NH has traditionally done better than the majority; but, when the economy goes bad, like this recession, then the private sector jobs and benefits are reduced and the right wing groups start complaining about the pay and benefits of the public sector; his only one part of the complex arguments that are being thrown around.

They like to throw around the words private sector, private sector this and that. I’m trying to find private sector jobs that require them to put their life on the line fighting fires, arresting murderers, etc, etc. The public sector employees, police, fire, teachers and state employees in NH are not our enemies; they are our friends, allies and neighbors.”

The private sector is what stimulates the economy.  Small businesses are the economic engine of this country. Public sector jobs only suck money OUT of the economy.  The more the taxpayers have to pay (in excessive pension, benefits and pay, the less they have in their pockets and the less businesses have to re-invest money into the economy and create more jobs).  Union members are ALSO taxpayers.

“Why are we attacking them? The speaker of the house was on Fox News telling how he was going to make NH a right to work state. I hate to tell him this; but, NH is not a union state. Sure we have unions and bargaining units; but, not a union state; no one can be forced to join a union.”

I hate to burst your ignorant bubble Rep. Quandt but New Hampshire is a forced union state with fully 48% of public sector workers unionized.  I’d say that’s pretty much a union state.  And again the lie about joining a union.  A worker can ‘opt out’ of the union but they are still forced to pay an ‘agency fee’ and abide by union contracts or forego taking that job – in other words – if the job is under a union contract, a public sector employee has no choice but to work under that contract regardless.  It’s either that or ‘hit the road Jack’ and look for a job elsewhere.

“The RTW out of state advocates claim that if this legislation gets passed then it will increase jobs and we will all be on easy street; just like Alabama, SC, GA and the southern states. Lets pass RTW and lower our standard of living, our health insurance and those benefits that make NH one of the most vibrant and desirable states to live and work in, mostly because of our public services.”

It’s a proven fact that Right-to-Work states have higher increase of job creation than Forced Union states.  Apparently Rep. Quandt only gets the AFL-CIO blogs rather than the actual numbers from the Federal Government.  And funny Quandt mentions ‘out-of-state’ advocates for RTW, there aren’t ANY for unions now are there? (please note the absolute snark)

“If you ask 10 people what the NH advantage is, you’ll get 10 different answers; some will say our tax structure (wrong because NH is not a cheap state to live), we can’t say it is cheap electricity because we are amongst the highest in the country. We can’t say it is our low business taxes, because they are high. The reason is our educated and dedicated work force that is what is bringing business into NH. The largest business group in NH (NHBIA) did a multi faceted survey about NH business and RTW came in #14 (I was told) as an issue.”

ChiefExecutive.net did a survey of CEOs and where they believe the best states to do business are in the U.S. (note:  CEOs are the job creators).  New Hampshire came in at #18.  New Hampshire will do better if it becomes a Right-to-Work state and it SHOULD do better if the politicians who run the state actually care about their constituents.

“I think what bothers me the most is the misinformation that is knowingly and willfully being put out by our legislative leadership about how RTW is going to increase jobs, benefits and make NH a better place to live. They know better so why are they pushing a deceptive agenda of misleading information? It is obvious that the speaker is looking for higher office and wants to say how he broke the backs of the public sector workers and their families, how he balanced the state budget by denying services to the most needy, handicapped, homeless, and people in need of services. We all knew when we were running for office the state budget had to be cut; but, to try and build a political platform on the backs of those in need is not the NH Republican way. Maybe the people running the political show in NH are not republicans and brought the RIHNO virus into NH when they moved in a few years ago.”

Rep Quandt is so bothered by ‘misinformation’ yet he has spewed nothing but MISinformation since embarking on declining new jobs and economic growth for New Hampshire in favor of his union buddies in the public sector.  Workers will still be able to unionize but they will have a choice.  They will not be forced to pay an agency fee against their will.  If they choose to become a union member, they will still have that right.  The REAL issue is that unions know that many workers will completely opt out of union membership because many are not happy with the union thuggery or the way their union dues are spent on politicking.  That is the true issue and apparently Quandt is a part of it.  He should try being a part of the SOLUTION for New Hampshire working families and put into place a plan that has proven to create jobs time and time again.  And note to Rep Quandt – it’s RINO – Republican In Name Only, not RIHNO or even RHINO.  People in New Hampshire are more worried about progressives such as though who are in the pockets of big labor than they are RINOS but if the shoe fits maybe you ought to wear it – just be sure it has the ‘union label.’

“Now the RTW legislation has passed the house and senate and the governor has vowed to veto it. That means we have to get enough votes to sustain his veto and send some of the right wing loonies back to VA. No matter what happens, sustain or over ride the veto (I’ll be working to sustain) this is not the last vote that will be taken on this, the last vote will be in November, 2012, when the pendulum swings back and cleans out the house one more time.

As a side note RTW has never passed the legislature and it has come forward each session for the past 10 years, the only difference is the people we elected in the last election.”

Yes the people of New Hampshire have voted common sense into office (other than Governor Lynch).  The people of New Hampshire do not want to become Massachusetts-lite.  Everyone has seen how poorly the other surrounding states are run with their anti-business laws, nanny state anti-freedom laws and anti-constitutional laws.  The people of New Hampshire want job creation and a productive economic environment so they can continue to work hard, take care of their families and enjoy the freedoms that Democrats and ‘pretend’ Conservatives like Republican Lee Quandt try to steal away from them.  The Right-to-Work law is pro-ALL workers in New Hampshire. 

Voting against the RTW law is voting ONLY for unions and neglecting the majority of the workers in this state who are NOT unions, specifically public sector unions.  And another note to typical progressive behavior like calling people ‘loonies’ Rep Quandt – many people in New Hampshire, including many Independents such as myself, know the benefits of RTW and we aren’t loonies, we are Americans who believe in Freedom of Association as written in the Constitution and creating legislation that makes economic prosperity BETTER for our state, not worse.