The first action of newly-elected Missouri Governor Matt Blunt was to rescind collective bargaining rights for Missouri state employees and declare that union contracts signed during the administration of former Governor Bob Holden were unenforceable. Holden had signed an executive order providing collective bargaining rights to public employees in 2001. Missouri pubic employees also aren't covered by OSHA laws and have no right to work in a safe workplace.
It is a little known fact in this country that public employees are second-class citizens. Although they do the hard and dirty work that make life in this country worth living, their right to form unions, bargain collectively and work safely are dependent on laws and executive orders passed by their state.
Luckily, the highway, parks, health care, prison, social service and other workers don't do important or dangerous work, and they're less than human anyway, so it really doesn't matter.
