RULING: The judge got it wrong

This letter is in response to Mr. Jerry Shriner's recent letter to the editor concerning SB 1006 and SB 1007, which appeared under the headline "Workers: Judges Ruling Got It Right."

I strongly disagree! The Judge Got It Wrong and clearly did not understand the legislation. The same legislation (laws prohibiting Project Labor Agreements in the public sector) has withstood court challenges in other states.

Further, Mr. Shriner got it exactly wrong in his letter.

1. He says the laws would deny workers the right to cooperate with their employer. Wrong, it just prohibits Project Labor Agreements (PLA's) in the public arena. PLA's prevent all but union workers from participating in a project, eliminating the 85 percent of the workforce which is not affiliated with a union. This opens competition to all contractors, union and non-union alike, assuring the taxpayer of best value.

2. He says it would bar certain contractors from the work. Wrong, it would open the work to all contractors, regardless of affiliation.

In addition, the bills would prohibit the use of workers' pay, and/or dues, to fund attacks on, and intimidation of, open-shop contractors and their clients. Hardly pro-freedom.

He is exactly wrong, and I suspect he knows it.

DEAN HAAGENSON

Coeur d'Alene