Anti-Picketing Bill Directed at Unions in Tennessee= the Daily Kos

Thu Feb 27, 2014 at 01:19 PM PST

Tennessee Republicans single out unions with anti-picketing bill

by Laura ClawsonFollow for Daily Kos Labor

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Tennessee Republicans want to target picket lines like this one.

 

It seems unions are having a little too much success in Tennessee for the comfort of Republicans there, so the state legislature is planning to do something about it. Spurred by the fact that Tennessee added 31,000 union members last year, state Rep. Jeremy Durham has introduced a bill that would create a new "mass picketing" misdemeanor specifically aimed at labor activists:

“I feel like if that’s such a growing part of our economy, we need to take preemptive measures to make sure our businesses have the rights and protections they should be entitled to.” Violators would not be arrested, but they could receive citations. Opponents say the measure targets labor unions unconstitutionally, because it would not apply to political groups or other organizations.

Isn't that perfect? Republican legislators want to preemptively give businesses rights and protections by creating a punishment for union activists that doesn't exist for others. That is ... pretty much the Republican Party's view of the rights of business owners vs. the rights of union members in a nutshell, actually.

Originally posted to Daily Kos Labor on Thu Feb 27, 2014 at 01:19 PM PST.

Also republished by Three Star Kossacks.