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Lawsuit over IN's Right to Work measure moves forward

A state circuit court judge ruled one of two lawsuits challenging Indiana’s Right to Work law can move forward.

Attorneys for the state had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing Right to Work legislation does not require unions to do anything and federal law places the burden on unions to represent all workers, regardless of whether they’re union members.

Bryan Corbin, spokesman for the Indiana attorney general's office, says the state’s motion was only the first attempt at defeating the suit.

“The state’s position continues to be that the statute is constitutional and now we can pursue additional avenues for upholding the law’s constitutionality.”

The United Steelworkers filed the lawsuit. Jim Robinson, district director, says the victory is just one hurdle to overcome.

“The state could only win that if they could show there’s no possible way we had a case and the judge said, ‘Yes, there’s a legitimate argument here,’ so now we’re going to move forward to reaching the actual argument.”

Robinson says Right to Work violates the Indiana Constitution’s provision prohibiting the state from requiring services without compensation.  Both Corbin and Robinson say there is no timetable yet for the lawsuit’s next step.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.
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