NC Stands Up for Workers

The state legislature in North Carolina passed a resolution imploring the Democratic National Committee to respect the state’s Right to Work law:

N.C. lawmakers are poised to approve a nonbinding resolution to ask the convention to change its rules and “respect North Carolina’s right-to-work laws.”

A House committee is expected to consider the resolution at a meeting this morning before it goes to the full chamber. It comes after Republicans raised concerns about North Carolina firms not getting contracts for the September convention because they are not unionized shops.

The resolution asks the DNC to “refrain form hiring workers and companies from outside (North Carolina) when qualified business or workers are available within the state.”

So far, the convention committee has awarded six contracts totaling $7 million — but only one went to a unionized firm. The resolution mentions the lone union contract — for event production and printing services — which created a stir after the owner of a rival company complained that his nonunion status cost him the gig. Conservative blogs and the N.C. Republican Party are fueling concerns.

“It may astonish you — its not about politics, it’s about jobs,” said state Rep. David Lewis, the Republican sponsor.