Even as an active and proud union member, I believe no one should be forced to join or pay fees to another group as a condition of employment, but the State has NO authority or right to legislate the contracts between a private company and its work force.

Private businesses and their workforce could have used “closed shop” as a positive trade during the formation of the union shop or during contract negotiations. They could have traded compulsory union membership for things like merit over seniority, lower healthcare cost matching or better benefits packages.

I feel Right To Work efforts and legislation should have focused on public contracts for outside goods and services. The State should have revised its current standards of preference for ALL bids on state contracts for goods and services. Publicly funded contracts should be awarded based on bids from companies and vendors using the following priorities:

1. Costs of contract
2. Favorable terms/length
3. Labor location
4. Company location
5. "Open Shop" if Union
6. Public comment

This process should be 100% transparent, online and open for public comment. There should be NO private bids or contracts awarded behind closed doors. Every bid should be open for public review, with ample time for public examination and comment. When a contract is awarded there should be a public review listing the "rank" of each bid and a summary explaining why a bid was chosen or rejected.

The administration was so dogged in their pursuit of “union busting” they actually dusted off the history books and used the same methods and tactics used to pass Right To Work in 1958. With a lightning fast bang of the gavel and the swift flick of a pen, the current administration has taken away a major bargaining position from both private businesses and their workforce.

Some in this race to be Indiana's next Governor are shying away from the RTW discussion. While they're saying things like “It's time to move beyond this...”, I am proudly and loudly saying that, as Governor, I will fight to repeal this intrusion into private businesses. I will work to restore the legally contracted rights of private workers and unions. Together, we will repeal this, like we did in 1965.

In Liberty,

Rupert Boneham