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Letter to Shoshone News-Press
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Letter to Shoshone News-Press
Letters to the Editor
Shoshone News-Press
401 Main Street
Kellogg, Idaho 83837
Via e-mail: ddrewry@cdapress.com
Dear Letters Editor:
An AP story that was published in the News-Press September 28 ("Former legislator working to repeal Right to Work law") gave a highly misleading impression about how Idahoans' incomes have fared since the state's ban on firing workers for refusal to pay union dues or "fees" took effect in January 1986.
The story ignored the fact that, before this law was on the books, Idaho had for many years lagged behind the rest of the nation in per capita personal income growth. According to the U.S. Labor Department, between 1969 and 1985 the Gem State's inflation-adjusted per capita income grew by just 23.5%, well below the national average of 28.3% and far below the 35.4% growth in Right to Work states.
The story also ignored the fact that, since 1986, Idaho's income growth has consistently outpaced the national average and the average in the 28 non-Right to Work states. Between 1986 and 2002, Idaho's real per capita income grew by 36.1%, compared to 28.6% in the remaining non-Right to Work states.
Between 1990 and 2000, Idaho enjoyed a net population increase of 132,000, or 13.1% of its total 1990 population, solely as a result of more people moving into Idaho from other states than out of Idaho to other states. Employees and their families came here to get good jobs that offer good benefits.
Ex-state Sen. Lin Whitworth's new drive to destroy Idaho's Right to Work law ill serves the state. His "Bring Back Forced Unionism" initiative is the last thing needed by hard-working employees and small businesses who are doing their best to help the state recover from the recent national recession.
Sincerely,
John Tate
Vice President