A day after organized labor flooded the Capitol to protest a proposed "right to work" constitutional amendment, the Minnesota AFL-CIO has begun running a radio and television ad blasting the bill.
A Senate committee approved the bill on a 7-6 vote on Monday, with union members surrounding the committee room, holding signs and chanting outside the doors.
The ad says the right to work law "hurts Minnesota's quality of life" and "puts our safety at risk" by making it harder for nurses and firefighters and police officers to bargain for staffing levels and safety equipment.
The AFL-CIO said the ad is running across Minnesota, and directed spots will be aimed at Republican senators John Carlson of Bemidji, Joe Gimse of Willmar, John Howe of Red Wing, Carla Nelson of Rochester, John Pederson of St. Cloud and Ted Daley of Eagan.
The amendment would prohibit contracts which require employees in union settings to pay dues or fees, even if they remain outside the union. "Right to work" states generally have much lower union membership, which stands at 15.8 percent of all workers in Minnesota.
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