John Gregg Turns Back On Labor

Prevailing wage and right to work may be hot button issues with organized labor, but they are not issues Democrat John Gregg plans to take up if he succeeds in defeating Gov. Mike Pence this year. He won't try to repeal right to work or reinstate the prevailing wage law. The Indianapolis Star says Gregg made those comments to the newspaper's editors during an interview last week. That comes as a surprise to his union backers since they are his largest campaign contributors.

�I�m a realist,� Gregg said. �I�m going to have a (Republican) supermajority in both chambers. The right-to-work issue � that was settled two years ago. There is absolutely no way that is going to be repealed.�

When asked if the common wage issue would be on the table if he was elected, he said, �No, none of that stuff is with the numbers we�ve got.�

Those comments came as a surprise to some of the union leaders who are helping to bankroll Gregg�s campaign.

�To be honest with you, I�m a little shocked,� said David Frye, business manager for the Indiana Laborers District Council. His organization spent more than $370,000 on TV ads to combat the common wage repeal effort last year and, along with its affiliates, has contributed more than $450,000 to Gregg�s campaign.

It sounds like Gregg is taking his labor vote for granted and is speaking more to the chamber of commerce folks. Is it a winning strategy?