Guest author Jacqueline Farr recently submitted a Letter to the Editor for publication in her local Benton County, Missouri newspaper. The piece focuses on anti-worker, anti-labor, and anti-voter bills that have been pre-filed in the Missouri legislature. Unfortunately, her LTE was not published, and thus her voice was not being heard. We thank Ms. Farr for granting us permission to print her letter. 

TO THE EDITOR: 

As a United Parcel Service Air Supervisor, I worked during the strike in 1997. I was in the air department – supervising the loading and unloading of three UPS planes each night. During the strike, I delivered packages during the day and worked contract planes by night. It was the worst 15 days of my life.

Not because I was ticked off every waking hour or the 16-hour days or the degrading remarks thrown my way or the three speeding tickets I got driving between the hub and the airport but because leading up to the strike, UPS had been cutting costs by shifting toward low-wage, part-time work, and the powers that be was dictating the positive relationship the Teamster drivers and I had cultivated over the years. During the strike, I didn’t resent the drivers and they didn’t resent me. We had a mutual respect knowing we were doing what we had to do.

So when I read a small sampling of Republican legislators’ bills they’ve pre-filed for the 2022 Legislative Session that are anti-union/anti-worker, I think of those 15 days.

Anti-Labor, Anti-Worker, Anti-Voter Pre-Filed Bills

SB 880 Sen. Burlison (R)- Right to Work: Creates new provisions relating to labor organizations

SB 706 Sen. Bean (R)- Right to Work: Creates new provisions relating to labor organizations

SB 728 Sen. Bob Onder (R)- Paycheck Deception: Modifies provisions relating to the authorization of the deduction of moneys from the paychecks of public employees for the benefit of public labor organizations

HJR 65 Rep. Billington (R)- Raises the number of required signatures to approve a petition for ballot initiative

HJR 97 Rep. Simmons (R)- Raises the number of required signatures to approve a petition for ballot initiative

HJR 71 Rep. Davidson (R)- Modifies provisions for initiative petitions and referendums

HJR 68 Rep. McGirl (R)- Increases the vote percentage necessary to pass a ballot initiative to 2/3

HJR 74 Rep. Lewis (R) – Increases the vote percentage necessary to pass a ballot initiative to 2/3

If these bills pass, it will effectively hamstring the working persons’ ability – union or nonunion – to not only provide for their families but thrive. Call the legislators to let them know you’re against labor laws that hold workers back.

Jacqueline Farr

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Note: We made slight modifications as needed for clarity or link accuracy. 

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