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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 7 February 2017

Gov. signs bill making Missouri 28th right-to-work state

SUMMER BALLENTINE say it will bring business to opponents on Thursday itens for choosing to hold a proud union shops in our
Associated Press the state and give workers packed the House visitors’ bill signing ceremony in an state so he could explain to
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) the choice not to pay into galleries to watch as law- abandoned warehouse, their faces exactly how Mis-
— Republican Gov. Eric a union if they don’t want makers took a final vote on “far from critical question- souri will be better off when
Greitens on Monday made they have less power to ne-
Missouri the 28th state to gotiate for higher wages,
ban mandatory union fees decent benefits and safer
and dues, delivering a big working conditions,” she
win for primarily GOP sup- said in a statement.
porters who have worked Right to work is to take ef-
for years to pass the so- fect Aug. 28. It exempts
called right-to-work mea- contracts in place be-
sure. fore then until they are re-
The move comes amid a newed, extended or modi-
national push to implement fied. That gives unions a
such policies. Republicans few months to try to rework
in Congress have intro- contracts and delay the ef-
duced a version of right-to- fects of right to work.
work legislation that would, Data are inconclusive
for the first time, allow mil- about the effects of right to
lions of workers to opt out work on union membership,
of union membership. which has varied by state.
Seven of eight states that Greitens’ signature isn’t
surround Missouri already necessarily the end of the
have right-to-work laws, right-to-work battle in Mis-
including Kentucky where souri. Missouri AFL-CIO Presi-
it passed last month. New dent Mike Louis has submit-
Hampshire senators on ted several versions of a
Thursday passed a simi- Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signs legislation to make Missouri the 28th “right-to-work” state during proposed initiative petition
lar bill that awaits a House a ceremonial signing at the abandoned Amelex warehouse in Springfield, Mo. on Monday, Feb. to the secretary of state’s
vote. 6, 2017. The law, which goes into effect on Aug. 28, prohibits unions from charging membership office that would reverse a
Greitens traveled the state dues as a condition of employment. right-to-work law. If enough
Monday for ceremonial bill (Nathan Papes/The Springfield News-Leader via AP) signatures are collected,
signings, including a stop voters could decide in
in an abandoned ware- to join. Primarily Demo- the bill. ing by the hardworking Mis- 2018 whether to adopt a
house in the southwest Mis- cratic opponents in the Democrats launched criti- sourians.” constitutional amendment
souri city of Springfield. He Legislature and labor orga- cisms of Greitens before “Governor Greitens should protecting workplace con-
signed an official copy lat- nizations say it will weaken his first public appearance have had the courage to tracts requiring all employ-
er Monday in the Capitol. unions and could lead to Monday morning. House sign this bill into law before ees to pay fees covering
The governor and other lower wages. Hundreds of Minority Leader Gail Mc- employees at Boeing, Ford the costs of union represen-
backers of right to work union workers and other Cann Beatty criticized Gre- or one of the many other tation. q

Red-light camera company to pay $20M to settle Chicago suit

CHICAGO (AP) — A red- Redflex of fraud and mak- John Bills were convicted in a decadelong scheme. six years, city officials said.
light camera company ing false statements when in a $100 million kickback Prosecutors said the cash In January, the company
whose former chief execu- it contracted in 2003 to run scheme. Finley was given and gifts were worth a total made a deal with federal
tive pleaded guilty to a Chicago’s red-light cam- a 2 ½-year prison term and of up to $2 million. prosecutors ensuring that
federal bribery charge will era enforcement program. Bills received a 10-year “I hope that this serves as others at Redflex won’t be
pay $20 million to settle The system, much-vilified sentence. Bills was the for- a warning to other com- prosecuted if it continues to
a lawsuit with Chicago, by drivers, automatically mer second-in-command panies that do business cooperate. “Today marks
Mayor Rahm Emanuel an- ticketed motorists. Chicago at Chicago’s Department or hope to business with a new beginning for Red-
nounced Monday. canceled Redflex’s con- of Transportation. He was the city that we will hold flex,” Redflex Traffic Systems
The deal ends a lawsuit the tract in 2013 following Chi- accused of accepting en- those who try to take ad- President and CEO Michael
city filed against Phoenix- cago Tribune reports about velopes stuffed with cash, vantage of taxpayers ac- Finn said in a statement
based Redflex Traffic Sys- the scheme. along with gifts — including countable,” Emanuel said Monday, noting that the
tems Inc. and its Australian Former Redflex CEO Karen condominiums in two states in a statement. The settle- company has enhanced
parent company Redflex Finley and former Chica- and a Mercedes — to help ment money is to be paid compliance management,
Holdings Ltd, accusing go transportation official Redflex obtain contracts installments over the next training and oversight.q