Local 150 will appeal judge’s dismissal of its challenge to right-to-work law
BY Teresa Auch Schultz tauch@post-trib.com February 5, 2013 4:42PM
Updated: March 7, 2013 6:35AM
A local union is going to appeal a judge’s ruling to dismiss its lawsuit against Indiana’s right-to-work law.
Attorneys for International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 filed the notice to appeal Monday in the U.S. District Court in Hammond.
Local 150 sued the state last year after the Indiana General Assembly passed the law, which forbids unions and companies from requiring any employees to pay money to a union in order to keep their jobs.
Attorneys for Local 150 argued the law violates its First Amendment rights and oversteps government’s authority.
U.S. District Judge Philip Simon disagreed in January, saying Indiana’s stated purpose for the law, to encourage economic development, was a reasonable one. Simon granted the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit.
