Conservatives — especially conservatives from Tennessee — are always quick to claim everything is good down here in the South’s plantation land where the workers are happy with minimum wage or a couple of dollars more.
And these same conservatives are even quicker to begin shouting that anyone with differing views — especially a union — is an “outside agitator.”
So last week, one of the most conservative of the many conservatives in the Tennessee General Assembly introduced a bill that would prevent cities and metropolitan governments in the Volunteer State from recognizing or entering agreements with employee unions and rendering any “agreement, contract, understanding, or practice, written or oral, implied or expressed” between a city and a union “illegal, void and of no legal effect.”
That’s right. Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, would revoke county and city union contracts with police officers, firefighters, teachers and the likes. A House companion bill was introduced by Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin.
Talk about “outside agitators” — state senators and representatives are telling city and county elected officials how to negotiate with city and county workers.