The Indiana General Assembly’s “Organization Day” had added significance this year for state employees. They took the opportunity to do a little organizing of their own.

When the Legislature convened its second session of the 114th Indiana General Assembly on Nov. 22, lawmakers were met by several hundred organized—unionized—state employees who were on hand to deliver “Don’t Outsource Indiana” petitions.

The Indiana Unity Team, a joint local of AFT Public Employees and the United Autoworkers, started circulating the petitions over the summer in response to Gov. Mitch Daniels’ wholesale privatization plans for state government services.

In addition to sending lawmakers a strong message against privatization—more than 6,000 Hoosiers had signed the petitions—the union solidarity spoke volumes about the commitment Indiana state employees have to quality public services, in spite of Gov. Daniels’ assault on their workplace rights.

In January 2005, the newly inaugurated governor rescinded collective bargaining rights for state employees; and shortly thereafter, he started privatizing services in the Departments of Corrections and Transportation, as well as state hospital jobs.

In an October letter to Unity Team president Joe Neill, Democratic Floor Leader Russ Stilwell, writing on behalf of the House Democratic Causus, called the governor’s treatment of state employees “inexcusable,” and said that by privatizing public services, Gov. Daniels is “leaving Indiana citizens in a position where they no longer have direct control over their government.”

“Know that we are with you and will do everything in our power to bring Indiana back on the right path.”

The Organization Day event was jointly sponsored by the Unity Team and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.