Minnesota legislators put forth anti-worker agenda (while lowering corp tax rates)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4773

By Michael Kuchta
21 February 2011

ST. PAUL - While media attention has focused on protests against anti-labor legislation in Wisconsin, lawmakers in Minnesota have been quietly putting forth an agenda that would increase corporate giveaways and put a higher burden on working families.

Several bills also attack collective bargaining rights for public service workers. Here is a list of measures, all introduced by Republican legislators in the past month:

• Cut corporate income taxes – even though it makes the state’s budget deficit $200 million worse. (SF1)

• Cut corporate property taxes – even though it squeezes schools and local governments even more. (SF1)

• Extend existing tax breaks for corporations. (HF483) Giving corporations these extra tax breaks means homeowners will have to pick up more of the property tax tab.

• Drive down wages for all workers – and handcuff unions and their members’ power to improve wages, benefits and working conditions – by adding “work for less” loopholes through an amendment to the state constitution. (HF65)

• Cut the state workforce by 15 percent, which will eliminate 5,000 jobs in the middle of a recession. (HF4)

• For state workers whose jobs remain, impose a two-year wage freeze (HF127); increase the threat of privatization (HF53); force them to compete to keep their own jobs (HF192); and pave the way to eliminate their pensions. (SF81)

• Eliminate equal pay for women (HF7, SF282)


FULL story at link.

[Angry Dragon]

1. I may have to do some calling tomorrow

Steve, Do you mind if I cross post this in Minnesota??

[Omaha Steve]

2. Anybody can cross post, repost, face book twitter etc my stuff anytime

You have it in writing!

[patrice]

3. Kick!

[rurallib]

4. Are the pukes in control of the legislature? Dayton would never

sign such bills would he?
Thought he proposed some new taxes to make up for that fuck up Pawlenty?

[Bjorn Against]

5. I am really glad we got Dayton as Governor

Dayton is a big supporter of labor, there is no way he will allow any of this to become law. If Emmer would have gotten just a few thousand more votes we would be in the exact same place Wisconsin is, but I am really glad we have a Governor who refuses to sell out to corporate interests like most politicians do. He is not perfect and once in a while he upsets me, but I at least feel like I can trust him to stand up for poor, working, and middle class people.

Even though we know Dayton will do his best to stop the worst of this however, it is still important that those of us in Minnesota take a lesson from Wisconsin in exposing the attack on labor for what it is. We need to make the Republicans pay consequences just for proposing crap like this, if we don't fight it now these will be treated more like legitimate proposals in the future and when a new Governor takes Dayton's place we don't know what they will do. Time to bring Wisconsin tactics to every state.