February 24, 2011 – Due to opposition from the Indiana’s labor unions and State House Democrats, Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma announced that he and his colleagues are dropping their efforts to pass Right to Work this legislative session.

“I applaud the decision to stop the pursuit of right to work,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “The legislation is divisive and anti-worker. The Governor and legislature can now concentrate on their efforts on more productive legislation."

The Right to Work Bill was one of the first pieces of legislation to be put forth by State House Republicans this session. Governor Mitch Daniels came out immediately saying the bill should not be considered this session. Additionally, he said the state had more pressing problems and issues.

Still, House Republicans maintained their interest in pushing the bill forward. On Monday, February 21, a special hearing on the legislation began in the House Employment, Labor and Pensions Committee. The hearing did not go unnoticed by organized labor.

Members of every union in Indiana showed up outside the hearing in opposition to Right to Work. Each day since, between 500 and 1,000 union members have been lining the halls of the Indiana House of Representatives.

"I haven't seen organized labor galvanized on an issue at the statehouse like this since 1995,” says Professional Fire Fighters Union of Indiana (PFFUI) President Tom Hanify. “It was amazing to see the unity of the various unions at work at the statehouse every day this week.”

At the close of the hearing, the House Committee voted the bill out of committee 8-3 for consideration in the House. House Democrats sided with labor and walked out of the legislative session.

Republicans in the House of Representatives hold a 60-40 majority. But they cannot pass a bill without a quorum of two-thirds, or 67 representatives. By leaving, Democrats deprived them of the quorum.

Realizing they were backed into a corner, House Republicans agreed to table the bill in favor of sending it to a summer committee for further study.

“This constitutes a major victory for workers and the people of Indiana,” says General President Schaitberger.

PFFUI President Hanify concurs, “With this issue going to a summer study committee, proper debate and discussion on the matter can be had.”

Meanwhile, the Democrats are expected to return before the mid-session break to vote on bills ready for final vote.