Democrats end boycott, report to Indiana House floor

INDIANAPOLIS | Democrats ended their three-day boycott of Indiana House sessions Monday, but they did not rule out using the delaying tactic again to slow passage of right-to-work legislation.

"It's going to be a day-to-day decision by our caucus about what we're going to do," said state Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, the deputy leader. "We want to be here and do the people's work, but this is a very, very, very important issue."

Lawson said the threat of $1,000-per-day fines coupled with the Democrats' success in blocking action on right-to-work during the first week of session led most Democrats to want to attend Monday's House meeting.

Their return enabled House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, to formally introduce House Bill 1001, right-to-work legislation that sets civil and criminal penalties for businesses that directly or indirectly require an employee to pay any money to a union as a condition of employment.

Democrats say that legislation will reduce wages and benefits for all Hoosier workers, while Republicans claim it will attract new jobs to the state.

The House labor committee is scheduled to vote on right-to-work at 7:30 a.m. region time Tuesday, without taking any additional testimony. The committee heard nearly six hours of testimony Friday in an unusual joint meeting with the Senate labor committee.

Lawson said Democrats plan to offer many amendments to change the right-to-work legislation if it is approved as expected Tuesday by the Republican-controlled committee.

Bosma said he likely will permit floor debate on each of the Democrats' proposed amendments unless the Democrats file several hundred to delay House action, as they did following a five-week walkout in 2011.

Union members continued to fill the House gallery and Statehouse hallways for a fourth session day Monday, holding signs and wearing shirts urging lawmakers to vote against right-to-work.

Jim Robinson, director of United Steelworkers District 7 based in Gary, said the Democrats' return doesn't end their fight to stop the legislation.

"Right-to-work contains no rights and provides no work," Robinson said. "We'll be here as long as it takes."