MARK KIESLING: Right-to-work inevitable, so let's see where it goes

Let's just pass the right-to-work legislation and allow the Indiana General Assembly to move on to other topics.

With the Republican majority in the legislature solidly behind the measure and Gov. Mitch Daniels finally coming out in favor of the bill, it's inevitably going to pass.

I think Daniels was a flipper on this, originally telling union members there was no need to make Indiana a right-to-work state, then changing his mind.

I am not flip-flopping and am in no way endorsing the creation of an environment where union shops are "open."

This means if a new employee chooses not to join the union, he or she can still take advantage of what dues-paying union members and their leadership have fought for.

But hey, this is the direction we are heading. Republicans claimed under Daniels' two terms as governor, he boosted the state's economy and lured new businesses to Indiana.

And that is a hard fact with which it is difficult to argue. Simple numbers back that case.

But.

Indiana was able to do that in spite of the fact it is not a right-to-work state because of other incentives — let's just take elimination of the inventory tax as one major example.

So let's pass it and see where it goes. If the GOP majority is right and new jobs with decent wages are brought to the state, the unions (and I) will have to eat our words with a side dish of crow.

If it is wrong and the only thing brought in are minimum-wage burger-flipper jobs, it's going to be a field day in the next election for Democrats, who have strenuously opposed this bill to the point of walking out of the legislature last year and setting up a government in exile in Urbana, Ill.

It troubles me that now that Daniels is no longer eligible for re-election, having served his mandatory maximum two consecutive terms, that he is now casting former promises aside for political expediency.

A spokeswoman for the governor said two things changed his mind since he told Operating Engineers Local 150 in 2004 that "no need exists to enact a right to work statute in our state."

The changes, said spokeswoman Jane Jankowski, were sparked by the perception, "Indiana loses many job opportunities and the significant downturn in the national economy."

The loss of job opportunities flies in the face of earlier GOP claims that Indiana's business climate in fact has attracted high-paying jobs to the state. But then they were trying to get Daniels re-elected.

And a significant downturn in the national economy? Every state is experiencing that, not just Indiana. In fact, one of Daniels' most significant achievements has been to keep Indiana in the black even as our Midwestern neighbors drown in a sea of red ink.

But it's going to pass. Let's move on to other concerns (yes, there are some) and see how it plays out.

If it works, so much the better. If it doesn't, take it out at the ballot box.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at mark.kiesling@nwi.com or (219) 933-4170.