Democrats in Minnesota have a super majority; Republicans have no say about anything.
Why isn't organized labor insisting the Democrats enact:
1. Anti-lockout legislation.
2. Anti-scab legislation.
3. Repeal and rescind "At-will Employment" legislation.
Let the dirty Republican rags like the Pioneer Press, Minneapolis Star Tribune and Duluth News Tribune howl as they complain about "over-reach" and let the Republicans cry.
What is the obstacle to Democrats passing three very simple pieces of legislation that won't cost tax-payers one single penny?
What was the reason MNDFL Chair, Ken Martin, refused to allow these three issues to be tabled for discussion at this past Saturday's Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party's State Central Committee Meeting as 1,300 American Crystal Sugar Company workers remain locked out of their jobs here in the Red River Valley?
Does anyone think voters would respond with anything but a big "Thank You" to the Democrats for taking this kind of legislative action? No.
So, what is the obstacle here?
Obviously here in Minnesota it is liberal Democrats who hold the upper hand beginning with Governor Mark Dayton; State Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk (who boasts of having come to politics straight out of the Building and Construction Trades Unions) with nothing but liberals backing him up:
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/index.php?ls=#leader;
Liberal Democrat Paul Thissen is the Speaker of the House; and liberal Democrat Erin Murphy is the House Leader for the Democrats.
No where, not ever could a more liberal bunch of Democrats ever be elected here in the United States... not to any other state legislatures nor to the United States Congress.
So, if Democrats are ever going to be able to be counted on to address the needs and problems/solutions of working people here in Minnesota--- or anyplace else in the country--- right here and now is where this will be done; correct?
Every single problem any working person or their unions and other organizations have ever brought before these very liberal Democrats the answer has always been:
We would like to help you out but these damn Republicans won't let us help you; give us a solid Democratic majority and we will take care of you.
Are these Democrats with their super majority now taking care of the needs of working people?
If not; why not?
If Democrats won't do what workers elected them to do; who will?
Should progressives be thinking of convening a conference intending to build a new working class based people's party?
Really; no three issues could be more worthy of swift legislative action. No need for discussion. No need for debate. Just straight forward and straight up legislative action:
1. Anti-lockout legislation.
2. Anti-scab legislation.
3. Repeal and rescind "At-will Employment" legislation.
Draft the legislation; push it through the appropriate committees; bring the legislation to the House and Senate floors for approval and let the liberal Governor Mark Dayton put his name to these three pieces of legislation.
How long should this take? No longer than it took the Republican super majority in Michigan to pass Right-to-Work-for-Less legislation--- three pieces of pro-worker legislation all about justice with no financial burden to tax-payers; three days, tops.