Senate committee voted down "Right to Work" measure

Monday, February 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state Senate Business and Labor Committee voted 7-5 today against a measure to put the right-to-work issue to a vote of the people. The vote came after a public hearing in the Senate chamber.

The gallery, packed with AFL-CIO members, erupted in applause after the vote. Seven Democrats voted against Senate Joint Resolution 33, which proposed a vote of right to work at the November general election. Four Republicans and one Democrat voted for the plan.

Gov. Frank Keating expressed extreme disappointment and said it was a case of Democrats standing in the way of Oklahoma prospering. He said Texas and other nearby right-to-work states that compete with Oklahoma for jobs are "laughing today."

He said Democrats are taking a "stupid" position. "I think they are for the status quo." Keating said it is too late for an initiative petition this year, but it will be "actively considered" for 2001.

Proponents of right to work told the committee that companies considering locating in the state mark Oklahoma off the list because it does not have a right-to-work law.

Jim Curry, president of the AFL-CIO, said it was wrong for the public to be asked to decide an issue that affects a small percentage of the labor force, those who are members of a union. Curry said the real issue is wages and he has no question that workers in non-right-to-work states have better pay than those in right-to-work states.