ONE MAN’S VIEW: Prop A (RTW) will be on 2019 ballot

Tuesday is ‘D’ Day –– VOTE!

I have some bad news: the phony “right-to-work” Prop A issue will be on the 2019 August ballot! We’re going to have to fight the Prop A battle all over again. Remember you read it here first.

Does that startle you? It should.

NO, it’s not a reality YET…but it could be if we think the Prop A (RTW) fight is over after our tremendous 67 percent victory. And that’s my concern — APATHY.

Unless we get off our butts Tuesday and vote for Democrats and those few friendly Republicans who did not support RTW to express our passion to protect our paychecks, protect our families, protect our future as workers now and in the future, we will see RTW (Prop A) reintroduced in the Missouri legislature next January and on the August ballot, again. Count on it.

ANOTHER RTW LAW PROMISED
Two key anti-union Republican legislators have already made that promise publicly! And the rest are salivating over the possibility because that’s what their corporate owners’ want: Missouri to be a “right-to-work” state no matter how long it takes. And just like last year, those corporate masters will pull their puppet’s strings again to make sure the vote passes, but only IF Republicans again control the Legislature.

Despite the public saying “NO,” these lawmakers just don’t give a damn.

Gov. Parson has said it would be unwise to bring up RTW again, and that he would consider a veto. But it won’t make a difference. The Republican supermajority in the Legislature has the votes to override it. Parson will be able to tell us “I tried,” but the outcome will be the same. We lose!

And don’t be fooled. Pro-RTW Republicans won’t make the same mistake they made this year by passing the bill early in the session. They’ll wait until the very last day of session – giving us little time to collect enough signatures to put the measure on the ballot.

Even if we’re successful, they’ll bring it up… again… and again, unless we change the composition of the Missouri Legislature Nov. 6, by electing worker-friendly candidates.

TUESDAY IS ‘D’ DAY
D-Day in 1944 was the start of the Allied invasion of France and the beginning of the end of World War II.

Tuesday is our “D Day” in Missouri to stop RTW once and for all by electing enough Democrats and worker-friendly candidates to return BALANCE to the Missouri Legislature.

But our victory is not assured. Frankly, I’m worried.

Unless we turn out in record numbers to vote, we will be fighting RTW again next year –– with depleted reserves and exhausted and disheartened volunteers.

It will happen, unless we elect enough Democrats and worker-friendly Republicans to return BALANCE to the Missouri Legislature.

I worry that too many of our members, families and friends think the battle was won, that we defeated Prop A and now it’s over.

IT’S NOT! That thinking, that apathy, will bring us RTW again next year.

NOT JUST IN MISSOURI
In Illinois, we have to elect Democrat J.B. Pritzker and defeat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and his anti-worker agenda. Let us not forget, it was Rauner instigated the legal action that morphed into the disastrous Janus v. AFSCME ruling the Supreme Court handed down earlier this year.

IN WASHINGTON, TOO
The same holds true for our national elections.

In Missouri, unless we re-elect incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill and Congressman Lacy Clay (1st District), unless we elect Democratic newcomers Cort Van Ostran (to defeat Republican incumbent Ann Wagner in the 2nd District), and Katy Geppert (Republican incumbent Blaine Luetkemyer in the 3^rd District), we are virtually guaranteed to see a National RTW law passed Republican-majorities U.S. House and Senate.

In Illinois, we need to elect Democratic challengers Brendan Kelly (to defeat Republican incumbent Mike Bost in the 12th District) and Betsy Kirksen-Londrigan (to defeat Republican incumbent Rodney Davis in the 13th District).

NOT A ‘R’ OR A ‘D’ ISSUE
Brothers and Sisters, I’m boostering for a number of Democratic candidates here, but this isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue. It’s a SURVIVAL issue. It’s a paycheck issue.

We need to bring BALANCE back to the political process to ensure COMPROMISE on both sides.

Vote Tuesday, and get your families and friends to vote for our endorsed candidates. Vote like your jobs and livelihood depend on it… because they do.

We won a battle with the defeat of Prop A, but it was just that – a battle. We have to FINISH THE JOB Tuesday. Make a difference. VOTE!