Letters to the Editor

Right-to-work

will hurt Hoosiers

To the Editor:

This upcoming 2012 Indiana legislative session is set for another political showdown. Like last year, right-to-work is on the agenda. This time, however, it is Gov. Mitch Daniels and House Speaker Brian Bosma's top priority.

Right-to-work will put a huge dent in the unions and not just labor. Anyone who is a member of a union -- teacher, nurse, truck driver, postal worker, etc. -- will have their bargaining rights seriously depleted if Indiana becomes the 23 state to enter the right-to-work realm.

From what Gov. Daniels told Indiana media last week, he "expects a right-to-work bill to pass."

Gov. Daniels and others argue that such actions will bring more jobs to Indiana. This assertion means that union membership is the only factor blocking Hoosiers from having good-paying jobs. What an outrageous claim! What about natural resources, infrastructure, workforce quality, location, standard of living and education? Do those variables not play into the job growth equation? The Center of Budget Policies and Priorities say they do and are more important.

The worse aspect about right-to-work is that collective bargaining rights are horrendously damaged. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average worker in a right-to-work state annually earns an estimated $5,000 less that the average worker in a non right-to-work state. Without the ability to collectively bargain, workers earn less money on their salary. How does this initiative help the middle class?

Indiana is not poor but it has it challenges. Its unemployment rate hovers around 9% and with that, jobs need to be the top priority of this legislative session, but right-to-work is not the magic spell to cure the problem. It is, rather, an ingredient that adds to the problem.

Then again, "all about jobs" was the mantra of our Republican leaders in the last session. What kind of economic help did they produce then? Certainly nothing that would suggest they are capable of doing something about it this session. The only thing the Republican leadership has done is overreach their electoral mandate of 2010, which hurt Indiana more than it helped.

Right-to-work will be a legislative fight and becomes law unless the Democratic minority walk out of the Statehouse, only to return when right-to-work is removed from the Republican legislative agenda. At least, we hope.

Drew Landry

Jasonville

Thank you young people for stepping up to help

To the Editor:

So often we read or hear about the trouble young people get into or cause. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful young people who live in Bloomfield and their mentors that I have encountered in the past few months.

They have put others before themselves, selflessly giving to the Bloomfield community. Both the Bloomfield Elementary School children and the Bloomfield High School youth have conducted successful food drives for Bloomfield's community food pantry. Boy Scout Troop 464 has conducted food drives and also helped with the White Christmas Food Outreach Ministry at Bloomfield First Baptist Church. The FBC FLAMES youth group has collected food for the pantry, and also assisted with White Christmas.

And, lest we forget the little ones, the children at Bright Beginnings Day Care and Preschool have also collected food for the community pantry.

These young people are learning early that it is important to do good for their community, to reach out in some way to those in need. Through their efforts, many have received food. Through their efforts, many have been blessed, including those of us who serve on the FBC Community Food Pantry Team.

Aren't we blessed to have such great young people living here in Bloomfield?

Nancy Cummings

Food Pantry Coordinator

Bloomfield

Vincennes family appreciates kindness

To the Editor:

In the morning of Dec. 24, 2011 our daughter, Shelby Kinman Harris, her husband and 6 week old son were involved in a collision on State Road 67 at Switz City.

We were not able to get the names of the wonderful people who stopped to assist them, other than the sheriff's officer, Rick Marques (who was tremendous and went above and beyond his duty).

We would like to express our heart-felt gratitude for your help and kindness! If these "helpful angels" came from your local community, what a great community you have!

Phillip and Tami Kinman

Vincennes