INDIANA- Guns at work

[Mark Vanderberg]

Below is my opinion that was published in the South Bend Tribune in response to an AP story about the Indiana Senate passing a bill that would allow Indiana residents to keep firearms in their locked vehicles on company property without fear of termination.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100131/Opinion/1310456/1063/Opinion

January 31, 2010

Guns at work

Let's not be under any misconception; there are already guns in locked vehicles of law-abiding gun owners. The only thing a proposed Indiana law to protect employees who keep firearms in their vehicles will change is that your employer will not be able to terminate you for having your legal personal protection available to you as you travel to and from work.

Workplace violence is always a concern, but what is to stop a crazed employee who is determined to get even from going home and retrieving a firearm and coming back? Nothing.

Making our places of employment gun-free zones only makes employees more unsafe because then they are nothing more than targets to a deranged employee.

Mark Vanderberg
South Bend

[MattCFII]

Thanks for fighting the fight in the media Mark for us Hoosiers!  I've been in contact with my State reps to support the workplace and the LTCH database.   Unfortunately it looks like the workplace bill is going to leave me out in the cold for one of my locations since I work part time at University and their was a admendment to exclude them 

Down here in Indy a Council member wants to get let LTCHer carry in parks since their is currently an ordinance against it.  However, Mayor Ballard just came out saying he would veto it.  Of course he just got an email from em asking him to reconsider.

[cth82002]

I want to say thank you for all you have done.  I just found your podcast about 3 weeks back and started with #1 now up to #111. because of you I was able to find this issue in the GRRN ( house bill 1065 & 1068 ). and have told all I work with and on my facebook to call on this issue ans support it.

before you look all over the world for others who believe the way you do look in your back yard. (south bend, IN)

[Aaron627]

Thanks for all you do Mark. I want you to know its greatly appreciated.

Last year I started working for a company that unbeknown to me at the time had it written into their company policy "no firearms allowed" on company property. While they don't have anything posted, it is written into their policy. This year they came out with a new updated policy that states not only are they not allowed on company property but we are not allowed to have them in our vehicles either. The policy also states they are allowed to search our vehicle. Now this makes me EXTREMELY uneasy and since then I have been making sure I park off of company property. It really upsets me because both of the owners are gun owners and one is even an avid hunter along with several others in the company. I feel they are letting us down by not supporting our right to protect ourselves. What I get from this is they put this into the policy only to cover their ass in case something happens they can say "We had it in out policy, no guns in the work place". But in doing this they are putting our safety at risk. As far as I'm concerned since they do not allow us to arm ourselves THEY are assuming liability if anything happens to its employees. Anyway, it's good to know laws like this are out there to protect employees from their employers for wanting to protect themselves. Does anybody know of any laws here in Texas protecting us from being terminated for keeping a firearm in our vehicle and/or searching our vehicles? I found this: SB 730 (see link below) but it looks like nothing has been done.

Thanks,

Aaron

[Aaron627]

Ok, it would help if I actually posted the link. Oops!

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB730