Some state employees favor unions

State probation and parole officers have embraced union representation while workers in the divisions of employment security and workforce development haven't.

These were the results of union organizing votes held last week.

At the Division of Probation and Parole, the vote was 531-199 in favor of being represented by the Service Employees International Union. Only 730 of 1,260 eligible voters took part in the vote.

Meanwhile, in the division of workforce development and the Division of Employment Security, workers voted 300-192 against allowing the SEIU to represent them. Of the 727 eligible voters, 492 took part.

Department by department, the differing views are interesting. A couple of months back, 2,600 members of the Missouri Association of Corrections Officers petitioned for an election seeking to de-certify the union that has purported to represent them the last 20 years.

That election is coming up.

Unionizing state government is bad policy, a step toward bigger government, higher taxes and endless strife with restive workers as they agitate for more.

It also violates the rights of workers who want nothing to do with unions but will be forced to pay the union lug on their paychecks.

Meanwhile, last week in a Cole County courtroom, Circuit Judge Tom Brown heard arguments from attorneys from both sides in the case of Kinder et al. vs. Holden. This is the case filed by Senate president pro tem Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau against the governor seeking to overturn Gov. Bob Holden's executive order instituting collective bargaining for state employees.

Many eyes will remain on this lawsuit, which is headed for the Supreme Court, over the coming weeks and months. And with the outcome of that suit will rest the decision as to what kind of state Missouri will be in years to come.