Sisters and Brothers,

UPDATED

Labor union Brothers and Sisters turn out to testify against HB 251

Montana Legislative home page: CLICK HERE

To watch a hearing: CLICK HERE

Please keep on messaging your representatives and urge them to vote no on any right-to-work (rtw) legislation. If you live in the Great Falls area Please contact Sen. Brian Hoven SD 13 and Sen. Bruce "Butch" Gillespie SD 9. Be respectful please we need Friends. Click the link to see your district: https://leg.mt.gov/legislator-lookup/

Out-of-state anti-worker groups are currently trying to force right-to-work through the Montana legislature to cut our pay, benefits, our way of life, and make our jobs more dangerous.

On February 16, the Montana House Committee on Business and Labor listened to House Bill 251, which is a right-to-work bill. OUR voices are especially important now. If you live in the legislative districts of Rep. Katie Zolnikov, Rep Denley Loge, or Rep Ron Marshall they serve on that committee. Please contact them today if you live in House Districts 45, 14, or 87.

The groups pushing this bill are NOT from Montana. They try to claim “Right to Work” states have better job growth (stats show they get low paying meaningless minimum wage jobs), any RTW law doesn’t protect anyone’s rights, instead, it favors the business always. The effect of right-to-work is swift and painful. Just look at Idaho, which passed this bill 30 years ago. Pay for skilled workers in the construction trades in Idaho is far below pay for the same work in Montana, a difference of $8,684 per year!

Our IBEW has provided training, representation, and a voice in our wages and working conditions and we are proud of the essential work we do. Now is the time to make sure our elected officials know that.

BELOW ARE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENT:

To submit a comment opposing HB 251, SB 89 or HB 168 go to:

 https://leg.mt.gov/web-messaging/ and follow the instructions below.

1. After you fill out the required fields, you must choose the committee to which you would like to submit a comment. You have the option of either legislators or committee. Choose Committee and then select  (H) Business and Labor from the drop-down menu. 
2. Under Bill Type and Number select HB 251. 
3. Enter your message to the committee. Keep it simple and to the point.

Please take a few minutes to email Rep. Katie Zolnikov at katiezolnikov@gmail.com or call her at 406-690-1684, Rep. Denley Loge at denleylogehd14@gmail.com or call him at 406-649-2368 or Rep. Ron Marshall at ronmarshallmt87@gmail.com or call him at 406-579-9498. Let them know that you are opposed to HB 251.

Finally, you can call the House Business and Labor Committee at (406) 444-4800 during weekday business hours and tell the person that answers you’d like to leave a message for your legislator or for the committee if you do not have a Representative on the committee. Click this link Business and Labor committee members. The operator will walk you through the rest.

HB 251 is scheduled in the House Business and Labor Committee for Tuesday, February 16, so please take time now to contact your Representatives ask them to Protect your future.

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS RAPID RESPONSE, YOUR EMAILS FOR FURTHER ACTION.

In Solidarity,

Dwight Rose

Here is the link for our Right-to-Work social media and messaging toolkit with further resources:

http://go.aflcio.org/mt-rtw