INKLINGS February 27, 2012 - Volume 76 Issue 6 - Crown Point High School - 1500 S. Main Street - inklings@cps.k12.in.us
Working Right?
This Issue: News
Syria Sophomore Lynn Kholoki, who lived in Syria, reflects on uprisings Page 3
Feature Stage fright Students involved in the Spring musical face stage fears Page 6
Arts The Woman In Black
Sports Wrestling champ Senior Jason Tsirtsis captures fourth state title Page 13
Opinion
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The recently passed right-towork legislation will negatively affect unions in Indiana by favoring quantity of businesses over quality of worker conditions. Page 4
PHOTO BY DONNELLA CASILLAS
Senior John Stern stocks items at his job at Strack and Van Til’s Crown Point location on Franciscan Drive. Stern is a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union. Some union supporters consider RTW an anti-union law.
Indiana becomes first “rust belt” state to pass right-to-work legislation; spurs controversy between union supporters and conservative legislators By Olivia Graham / Mary-Katherine Lemon entertainment editor / news editor
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housands of Indiana citizens from steelworkers to business owners will be directly affected by House Bill 1001, more commonly known as “right-towork.” The bill has raised controversy in unionheavy areas such as northwest Indiana. Right-to-work (RTW), proposed by Rep. Gerald Torr (R-Carmel), allows employees in unionized jobs to opt out of paying union dues, which, before the legislation, may have been required. Sophomore Chris Edwards, whose father is a union worker and who plans on being in a union from his career in machining, feels that RTW is a union-busting tactic. “(RTW) an easy way out (to not take care of workers),” he said. “I feel that with people coming (to an industry) without paying (for union services), it might defeat the unions altogether.” Senior Elizabeth Stratton is a cashier at Jewel-
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Workers should have opportunities to improve their wages and benefits and they should pay their share of the financial burden to secure those. Michael David math teacher
doesn’t believe being in a union is as important to her as it may be to other workers. “(RTW) hasn’t been a hot topic of discussion (at work),” Stratton said. “I think (RTW is) a good thing. I don’t think anyone should be
23rd
state to pass Right to Work
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Osco in Crown Point. Stratton belongs to the Local 881 chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW). Because Stratton has a part-time position, she
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A chilling ghost story spooks boys and girls alike Page 12
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See “Right-to-work” on page 3 44
Indiana House vote
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INFORMATION COMPILED BY INKLINGS STAFF
forced to join anything with a fee if they don’t want to.” The Indiana senate passed RTW 28-22 with Gov. Mitch Daniels signing it shortly afterwards on Feb. 1. Indiana is the twenty third state to enact RTW, the first in a decade. Local representatives Shelli Vandenburg (D-Crown Point) and Sue Landske (R-Cedar Lake) voted against the bill. The predominantly Republican-supported bill resulted in a widely-publicized Democratic walkout last year. Math teacher and vice-president of the Crown Point Education Association Michael David thinks that RTW gives businesses an advantage but makes it more difficult for workers to improve wages and benefits. “Even if I wasn’t in a union, I believe that I would still oppose the (RTW) legislation.
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Indiana Senate vote
fastfacts Right-to-work • Indiana is the first state to pass right-to-work since Oklahoma in 2001. • Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the bill into law on Feb. 1. • Indiana adopted a Right-towork law in 1957, but it was repealed in 1965.