Press Release - February 1st, 2012

For Immediate Release

View Online: http://lgbtde.ms/yfzDGJ

February 1, 2012
National Contact: Jerame Davis
202-625-1382
jdavis@stonewalldemocrats.org

Indiana Contact: Aaron Schaler
317-441-1047
aschaler@gmail.com

'Right-to-Work-for-Less' Becomes Law in Indiana; Hoosiers are Outraged

Today, Indiana became the 23rd state to pass a so-called right-to-work law - which is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to disempower labor unions, not protect workers. Indiana Stonewall Democrats and National Stonewall Democrats condemn the passage of this heinous and short-sighted legislation.

"Governor Daniels and the Republican-led legislature have ensured that working Hoosiers will turn out in droves this November to vote against every legislator who supported this incredibly short-sighted law," said Indiana Stonewall Democrats president Aaron Schaler. "The poor and middle class in Indiana are under attack by the right wing and their wealthy financiers - but we the people will fight back. In our great state, as with most of the nation, the first protections LGBT workers received were through union contracts, not legislation. We stand strong with our brothers and sisters in labor because they've always stood with us. We will organize, we will vote, and we will take back the Statehouse from these anti-worker demagogues."

"The Republican domination in the statehouse has wrought one of the most far-reaching and anti-worker laws in the state's history," said National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director and former Hoosier, Jerame Davis. "This legislation, which has been aptly named the 'right to work for less' law, will have a dramatic effect on the ability of Hoosiers to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions and will have the very real effect of depressing wages and reducing benefits for union and non-union workers alike. In 2006, Governor Daniels predicted a 'civil war' would break out if this legislation was introduced, but once his re-election efforts were successful, he reneged on his word and supported this ill-conceived bill. He should be ashamed."

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National Stonewall Democrats is the national voice of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied Democrats, with more than 90 local affiliates across the nation. Stonewall Democrats works to elect more pro-equality Democrats regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity - and to improve the Democratic Party on issues important to LGBT Democrats.