Indiana Democrats Leave State to Avoid Union Vote

By SUSAN SAULNY and SABRINA TAVERNISE
Published: February 23, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS — Most Democratic members of the Indiana House of Representatives have decamped for Illinois to avoid being forced to vote on legislation that would allow workers in private sector unions the right to opt out of their unions and not pay dues, officials said Wednesday.

Anti-Union Measures Around the Country
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Slide Show Protests Spread to Indiana and Ohio.Related
Union Leader Minces No Words When Labor Issues Are at Stake (February 23, 2011) The Democratic lawmakers, who are in the minority in the House, refused to attend the chamber’s session Tuesday. And despite a pledge from Gov. Mitch Daniels, a Republican, not to send state troopers after them, the Democrats said that they thought it best to leave the state Tuesday night.

“The caucus members are in Urbana,” said John Schorg, a spokesman for Democratic members of the House. “I’m not sure I can give you a reason for that selection, apart from I hear it’s a lovely community. I think the idea is that Illinois’s Democratic governor would not be agreeable to an invasion by the Indiana State Police, although our governor has said he won’t send the cops after them.”

In a statement released Wednesday morning, the Democratic members, who were trying to prevent a quorum in the House, said: “We will remain here until we get assurances from the governor and House Speaker Brian Bosma that these bills will not be called down in the House at any time this session.”

Mr. Bosma, a Republican, said Tuesday that he would allow the bill to die in the chamber, though there is apparently no guarantee that it will not be reintroduced

Not that anyone would want to read anymore about these "patriots", but here's the rest: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/us...er=rss&emc=rss