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Fletcher's two labor proposals killed in House committee

By Jack Brammer and Ryan Alessi
HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU

FRANKFORT - The House Labor and Industry Committee killed Gov. Ernie Fletcher's two main labor proposals -- repeal of the prevailing wage and adoption of so-called right-to-work rules -- this morning.

Proponents of the measures said they will continue speaking out for them and expressed satisfaction that the legislative committee granted a hearing on them.

After the committee's action, a large labor rally celebrated the bills' defeat.

All of the committee's Democrats and two of its Republicans -- Jim Stewart III of Flat Lick and C.B. Embry Jr. of Morgantown -- voted against the bills. Right-to-work legislation would allow workers to take jobs without joining unions or paying union fees at labor-represented workplaces.

Prevailing-wage laws require contractors doing work on government buildings and schools to pay the typical area wage. Fletcher and some business groups have said that businesses are reluctant to move to Kentucky because of its labor laws.

Unions dispute that and contend the legislation is designed to weaken their bargaining powers.

A few thousand union workers assembled on the steps of the Capitol, chanting and waving signs blasting Fletcher's proposal.

Many of the speeches by lawmakers and labor officials celebrated the committee's decisions.

"This is what it's all about folks -- knowing who stands with us and knowing who stands against us," said Bill Londrigan, president of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, after he introduced members of the House labor committee to the cheering masses.

Brett Hall, the governor's communications director, said the administration will continue working for the proposals over "the long haul."

"We were under no illusion that this was going to be a walk in the park," he said.

 

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