Booing the governor

It was supposed to be the year union workers wouldn't boo and sneer from the gallery during Gov. Frank Keating's State of the State address.

After all, voters passed a right-to-work law last year and the governor didn't have to push for it during his speech Monday. But the naysayers came anyway, just to make some noise. "We haven't gone away," said Diana Howell, a sheet metal worker and member of Local 464 in Ponca City. "He can't get rid of us."

Keating got booed in each of his previous seven State of the State addresses for saying Oklahoma needs right to work, a law that bans companies from requiring employees to pay union dues.

Howell wore a bright red T-shirt that said "Got union?" on the front and "America needs them" on the back. She was one of several union workers sneering when the governor touted the new law.

One man, wearing an old shirt that said "Vote No" on State Question 695, waved a thumbs-down sign toward the governor and legislators on the floor below.

As supporters of the new law cheered and rose from their seats, the booing grew louder. Keating just smiled. "Eight times is a charm," he quipped.

Many of the union workers refused to stand when Keating entered the House chamber and some wouldn't stand when first lady Cathy Keating was introduced.

Dennis Gibson, from United Auto Workers Local 1999, said he was laid off after right-to-work passed. "Every Oklahoman is supposed to get $75 more per week thanks to right-to-work," he shouted toward the floor after the session adjourned. "I still don't have mine and I want it."

His former co-worker, Mike Black, said union members attended Keating's address because the governor had commented earlier that he didn't expect to get booed about the issue this year. "We want to prove to him that unions are still in Oklahoma and we're going to stand up and fight," he said.

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