From The Activator, AFTRA/SAG Chicago's E-Newsletter

A Mile High Victory: Colorado
February 13, 2006 proved to be a good day for SAG, AFTRA, and all Colorado union members. In the long and arduous fight between pro-union supporters and Right-to-Work advocates, Colorado has long been considered a key battleground state. Well, great news for unionists everywhere: The Labor movement scored a major victory as Colorado's proposed Right-to-Work legislation (Senate Bill 139) was narrowly defeated 4 to 3 in committee.

Leadership from the AFL-CIO, SAG, AFTRA, and other unions looked on as the legislation was introduced to the State Veteran's and Military Affairs Committee. After heated testimony on both sides of the aisle, the senate committee's Democratic majority ultimately killed the bill. Heading-up the task force was SAG Colorado Branch President John Singer, who often works closely with Colorado legislators at the Capitol and most of the state's unions. Also working diligently behind the scenes were AFTRA Denver Local President Denis Berkfeldt and other leadership from AFTRA, SAG, and the Colorado AFL-CIO.

"This is a key victory for Screen Actors Guild in its ongoing fight against the so-called Right-to-Work movement, which really only weakens the collective power of union members," Guild President Alan Rosenberg said. Praising the "diligent work on behalf of card-carrying union actors in Colorado," Rosenberg added, "We will continue to fight the Right-to-Work cancer throughout the United States."

Considering Colo. Gov. Bill Owens is a long-time advocate of the Right-to-Work movement and pledged that he would sign any RTW bill that reached his desk, Colorado actors should be grateful this bill never made it out of committee.

Indiana Defeats Right-to-Work
Closer to home, this week the Indiana House voted 65-31 to defeat a proposal to make Indiana a "right-to-work" state. Eighteen Republicans and every Democrat in the chamber voted no.

Speaking against the proposal, Rep. Duane Cheney, D-Portage, said that unions help protect families by bargaining for higher wages and benefits. "If the legislation had passed," he said, "it would allow some employees to enjoy union-negotiated benefits but be "freeloaders" by not paying union dues."

Rep. Mae Dickinson, D-Indianapolis, explained that the proposal was about something even more basic. "Right-to-work," said Dickinson, " is really about the right to work for less money."