Democrats skip Senate right-to-work hearing

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Updated: January 30, 2012 7:07PM

INDIANAPOLIS — Democratic senators are boycotting an Indiana Senate hearing on the contentious right-to-work bill.

The absence of the three Democratic members isn’t delaying Monday morning’s Senate labor committee meeting as the panel’s seven Republican members are continuing without them. The committee is expected to advance the bill to the full Senate for final legislative approval later this week.

Democratic Sen. Karen Tallian of Portage said there was no justification for rushing the bill to final Senate passage less than a week after the Indiana House approved the proposal that would ban unions from collecting mandatory fees for representation.

Several dozen protesters cheered when the Democrats announced their boycott, then chanted from a Statehouse hallway as right-to-work supporters testified during the hearing.

Gov. Mitch Daniels has said he will sign the bill.