The West Virginia legislature’s war on workers continues
As the governor admitted last week, eliminating prevailing wage and instituting right-to-work laws didn’t change anything in the state. With a super-majority, however, Republicans aren’t deterred.
They’re not workers, they’re independent contractors!
The headline at Mountain State Spotlight:
Seeking ‘clarity,’ West Virginia lawmakers push to turn more employees into independent contractors
With the subheading:
This status change matters, because independent contractors aren't eligible . . .
Posted in: right-to-workwv legislaturewv republicans
Updating labor stories
More on the right-to-work challenge and Alpha Natural Resources
As teachers frequently remind students: "Please do your own work"
Did the WV legislature, in their rush (it was SB 1) to prove how anti-union they were, fail to change ALEC's right-to-work model legislation enough to make it constitutional? In the previous post I noted the AFL-CIO's decision to challenge the . . .
Odds and ends from around the Web
WV Supremes, right-to-work, and where (not) to retire
The race for the West Virginia Supreme Court
This morning's Grist (via Mother Jones) has a good article on West Virginia Supreme Court politics. Here's a sample: (Note - Grist notes that Bailey is a lawyer who has fought coal companies.)
The number of twists and turns in this contest have made the outcome anyone . . .
Developments in the WV Supreme Court election
A post on the upcoming judicial election
Bringing Obama into the race
Taking advantage of the anti-Obama sentiment in the state (even if the president has nothing to do with the Supreme Court race), the Republican State Leadership Committee's Judicial Fairness Initiative is running ads that link the president to State Supreme Court candidates Bill Wooten and Darrell . . .
Posted in: beth walkerbrent benjamindarrell mcgrawmoney in politicsobamaright-to-workwheeling newspaperswv supreme court judges
Looking to the past to create West Virginia's future
This year's West Virginia legislature is notable for its use of centuries-old ideas in attempting to forge a promising future for the Mountain State. With the passage of labor laws that will take West Virginia back at least half-a-century combined with "Wild West" gun laws and attitudes toward science that predate the 20th . . .
"They cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them"
Describing the West Virginia legislature?
Among local columnist Mike Myer's favorite Obama quotes is one from his 2008 campaign for the presidency. Candidate Obama was speaking about why some of the people in central Pennsylvania, specifically, and rust belt Americans, more generally, didn't vote for him, when he said:
They get bitter, they cling to guns or . . .
The Koch brothers look to buy themselves another state
WV Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Bill Cole speaks at exclusive Koch gathering for high-rolling political donors
Metro News had the following headline in mid-December:
Cole: Upcoming Legislative session ‘zero’ about run for governor
As they reported:
With the session less than one month away and lawmakers prioritizing their agendas, Cole said his mission is all about “delivering a subsidized session for the taxpayers for . . .
