Indiana Republican Governor Mitch Daniels signed a right to work bill into law Wednesday, making it illegal to require employees to join labor unions in Indiana.
The Indiana state Senate voted in favor of passing the bill by a vote of 28-22. The bill was introduced into the state House in early January.
Mr. Daniels reportedly signed the bill into law immediately after the state Senate voted in favor of passing it. The vote by the state Senate was reportedly attended by thousands of Indiana residents to the state capital building, who showed up to protest the bill.
The protesters were mostly union workers, who marched from the state Senate building to Super Bowl Village, where the NFL is hosting its Super Bowl week leading up to Sunday’s game, The Indianapolis Star reports.
Indiana now becomes the 23rd “right to work” state, and the first state to enact the law in over 10 years.
Democratic public officials in Indiana had hosted boycotts of the bill, and even lead a five week walkout to show their opposition. However, the Republican controlled Senate was able to get the bill passed Wednesday.
Mr. Daniels believes the bill will help the business climate in his state.
“Indiana will improve still further its recently earned reputation as one of America’s best places to do business,” said the governor, in a statement. “We will see more jobs and opportunity for our young people and for all those looking for a better life.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011, 11.3 percent of salaried workers in Indiana were labor union members.
The Indiana governor gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address last week, and had been mentioned as a possible 2012 Republican presidential candidate for the majority of last year.
The new law will prohibit employers from requiring new employees to pay labor union fees.
Supporters of the new law agree with the governor’s view that it will bring more business into the state.
“With the passage of right-to-work, Indiana has further distinguished itself from neighboring states and given companies another big reason to bring their business and jobs here – and not there,” said Kevin Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, in a statement released Wednesday.
Indiana previously repealed right to work legislation in the 1960s.
