Julia Fello, TMJ4, Right-To-Work

Julia Fello, TMJ4 reporter, doesn't understand the most basic fact about right-to-work legislation. She doesn't know what it is.

I'm sure she has been enlightened by now, but it's disturbing to know that a reporter covering the story was misleading the public.

I don't know the woman. I give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she wasn't intentionally trying to mislead. Unfortunately, that means she was utterly ignorant on right-to-work.

A screen grab, via Mark Belling:



Fello wrote:

MADISON-- Thousands of union supporters are gathering at the state Capitol for the second day in a row to try and put a stop to the right-to-work legislation.

The measure is being considerd by the senate during an extraoridanry session. If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues.

NO!

That's not true at all.

No employees would be banned from joining a union! That is not what the bill does. It's just not.

Employees will simply have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union. They won't be required to be a member.

That's a great thing.

The legislation is very straightforward and easy to understand.

Years ago, as a county employee, I was forced to be a member of AFSCME. I didn't have a choice.

(I STILL will get mailings from the union, as if I'm an active member. It's amazing.)

Julia Fello did a terrible job as a journalist. She's certainly not Brian Williams bad, but she made a big, BIG mistake.

Her credibility and that of TMJ4 News have been damaged. Not good.

Here's a lesson for Fello and anyone she confused, from the MacGiver Institute:

With the legislative debate around right-to-work entering its second week in Wisconsin, the MacIver Institute decided to sit down with experts from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the Heritage Foundation to discuss the impact of the law. Both explained that the main reason for right-to-work is to guarantee workers the freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union. But, right-to-work states also see economic benefits of the law like faster jobs growth and higher income.

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UPDATE, March 5, 2015: Julia Fello, Mark Belling, TMJ4 News Director Janet Hundley, and "Bimbo"