Democrats delay Ind. House amid union protests

INDIANAPOLIS — The absence of Democratic legislators from the Indiana House extended into the afternoon with several hundred union members at the Statehouse protesting Republican-backed labor bills.

Speakers at a midday rally Tuesday told the union members that Republicans had declared a "war on labor" with proposals restricting teacher collective bargaining and so-called right-to-work legislation.

Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said he noticed the lack of cars in the legislators' parking lot and that Democrats couldn't be found meeting in the Statehouse.

Rep. Terri Austin of Anderson responded that her fellow Democrats were "together and working" when she last saw them Tuesday morning. She said they were still in the city.

The absence of the Democrats prevents the House from having a quorum to conduct business.