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Superior resident, labor representative, urges opposition to "right-to-work" during public comment
Summary
Warren Bender, speaking as a resident of Superior and on behalf of the Superior Federation of Labor, urged councilors to oppose right‑to‑work legislation and cited statistics on wages and poverty rates in states with such laws.
Warren Bender addressed the Superior Common Council during the public‑comment portion on March 3, speaking as a private citizen and on behalf of the Superior Federation of Labor to urge opposition to right‑to‑work legislation.
Bender said he recently attended demonstrations and a rally opposing right‑to‑work. He told the council he estimated roughly 50 people attended a recent rally and then offered two statistics he said support opposing right‑to‑work: he stated that states with right‑to‑work legislation have, on average, annual wages $5,333 lower per year and poverty rates 12.5 percentage points higher. Bender prefaced the figures by noting ‘‘we can make statistics say anything we want them to say.’’
Bender concluded his remarks after delivering the statistics and thanking the council for listening. The council did not take action on the topic during the March 3 session; his remarks were recorded as part of the public‑comment agenda.
