By Rep. Nate Roberts
Idahoans know what it means to put in an honest day’s work. From the ranchers and farm workers who bring food to our tables, the factory worker punching a clock, and caregivers looking after aging family members — Idaho was built by working people. Unfortunately, it is getting harder for most of us to get ahead.
If we look to the past we can learn a lot about the present and how we got here. In 1892, miners in North Idaho were forced to strike after owners demanded they work longer hours for less pay. The miners wanted to keep the living wages they had negotiated for all workers — not just the skilled subsurface miners, but the surface workers at the mine too. They understood that there is dignity in all work, a value that still unites Idahoans today.
In true Wild West fashion, deception and violence followed. These actions, and later disputes, became pivotal moments in the struggle for workers’ rights. Miners from a few small towns in Idaho showed the power of workers standing together in solidarity. Across the country, the labor movement grew, and with that came progress. The eight-hour workday, weekends off, pensions, safety standards, and more are benefits workers enjoy today thanks to our parents and grandparents being united for a better life.
Here’s some more Idaho history: In 1985, Republicans in the Idaho Legislature overrode Democratic Governor John Evans’ veto of the “Right to Work” law. Still in effect today, Right to Work is a policy...
Patricia White, 70, of Old Greenwich, received a nine-month prison sentence for submitting false claims for unclaimed properties to around 30 state treasuries. HARRISBURG, Pa. — Months after her br...