01/12/12 Lawmakers currently debating whether to make Indiana a Right-to-Work should know that support for the legislation is nearly universal among small business owners, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
“We’ve never had a response like this to any issue,” said NFIB State Director Barbara Quandt. “The vast majority of small business owners support Right-to-Work, and we certainly hope that the Legislature is paying attention.”
According to the NFIB 2012 Ballot, which gauges member support on key legislative, 90.47 percent of the state’s small business owners want Indiana to adopt the Right-to-Work reform now being debated in Indianapolis.
“Support for the bill increased from the 2010 survey, which I didn’t think was possible,” said Quandt.
What that means, according to Quandt, is that an overwhelming percent of Indiana employers believe that Right-to-Work would boost the economy and create more jobs.
“Small business owners know better than all the experts and academics because they are the ones who have to sign the checks and tough it out in a difficult economy,” she said. “The state’s employers are sending a message and they need to hear it in the Capitol.”
Quandt also warned the Democratic caucus, most member of which are opposed to the bill, against playing peek-a-boo with the schedule in order forestall passage.
“There are rumors that some of the opponents are planning on dragging this out by showing up for work for a day and then hiding for three days, and then doing it all over again to avoid the fines,” said Quandt. “People in the private sector can’t do that and neither should they.
“They were elected to represent their constituents by debating the issues and then voting,” she continued. “Playing keep-away just makes a joke of the legislative process and it’s an insult to working people in Indiana who have to show up every day regardless of whether they feel like it.”
