Several years ago, now retired Minnehaha County Commissioner, Jeff Barth suggested that Sioux Falls City Councilors impose an ordinance that requires employers within the city limits list their salary in want ads. Not only is it a good idea, employers who do list wages usually get better and more applicants. We all know why some don’t list the salary, because it ain’t squat and most people see thru the ruse and don’t apply. Senator Reynold Nesiba is proposing such a thing statewide;

A private employer with one hundred or more employees shall disclose in each job posting the hourly or salary compensation or range of the hourly or salary compensation and a general description of all benefits and other compensation to be offered to the hired, promoted, or transferred applicant or employee. Such disclosure shall not affect the applicant’s ability to negotiate compensation or benefits.

As you can see, this would only affect larger employers. While a great idea that has proven to have beneficial opportunities to employees and employers it will likely die in committee because one of the legislators wives on the committee will cry about paying her 10 year old niece minimum wage to make goat cheese soap candles in the barn.

Wow, when I read this story, the first thing I thought is how things haven’t changed in 24 years, literally.

They seem to think it is an employee problem, seems to be an employer problem. Reading comments on FB, I hear the same complaints I heard 24 years ago from one of my friends that worked there, NO air conditioning or ventilation for the welders. He was hardly a slacker, he was a hard working farm kid who was a very talented welder and loved doing it, but when you can’t breathe doing your job, it’s time to hit the road. I think he lasted about 15-30 days.

I applaud the Argus and Steve Young for doing this story, it will blow up in Trail King’s face, and they might finally realize that treating your employees like oxen instead of humans will eventually catch up with you.

Remember this is the same company who took state tax dollars to recruit workers. It’s time for all former employees to speak out and tell the governor and the CEO of the company that we have had enough of this less then human treatment from employers.

Give it a rest already John;

WASHINGTON – With the Obama administration promoting efforts to unionize workplaces, Sen. John Thune warned business leaders Tuesday that they should be ready to mobilize against congressional efforts to help labor groups organize employees.

“We cannot let up. We have to be vigilant. We’ve got to stay on this issue. This is organized labor’s No. 1 priority,” the South Dakota Republican said to about 250 business and chamber representatives from eight states attending a U.S. Chamber of Commerce conference. “We have to defeat this. … We have to be prepared because this could happen on very short notice.”

Why should we defeat this? Because it might require South Dakotans to have the chance to make better wages? It is blatantly obvious that Thune has his head shoved up the ass of corporate interests, Hell he worked as a lobbyist before running for Senate, and once he got in the Senate the first thing he tried to do is give his pal the biggest Federal Loan in the history of our country to a private industry. When are we gonna wakeup and realize this guy is a fraud?

“Chamber of Commerce people seem to think that if you keep giving money to corporations, that will fix the country,” said Mark Anderson, president of the South Dakota State Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

Well, Mark, they are the largest lobbyist group in DC. Remember, Washington, and our very own golden boy, Ironic Johnny, only respond to cold hard cash. And the working class of South Dakota certainly are not sending it John’s way. He knows who he works for . . .

“This is a black-and-white issue, and we need to keep it that way,” Thune said.

I agree John, it is black-and-white, so why are you painting it red?

UPDATE: Joel Dykstra is spreading lies right now on KCPO (Sunday 10:30 AM – Cable channel 2)

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Kind of sounds like someone is posturing for the Governor’s race;

Two powerful Republican state legislators say they will fight a bill now in Congress that would allow unions to organize without a secret ballot. State Senate Majority Leader Dave Knudson, who also is running for governor, and House Majority Leader Bob Faehn of Watertown will introduce a bill in the next Legislature that would put the issue before state voters. The measure would amend the state constitution to require secret ballots in all political and labor organizing elections.

Only in SD, where we rank 50th in hourly wages, would legislators try to limit union participation and thumb their noses at Federal Law. I’m glad they want to put it on the ballot, because it will fail, just like the stupid abortion ban.

If their effort is successful, the state almost certainly would end up in federal court to defend its authority to require secret ballots in labor votes, Knudson acknowledged.

What’s the point? Instead of trying to limit worker’s rights, why not introduce legislation that actually expands worker’s rights? Oh that’s right, I forget SD’s motto, “Big Business and Special Interests first, citizens second.”