The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a contentious right-to-work measure Thursday in a move to outlaw mandatory union dues or fees as a condition of employment.
The policy has been a Republican priority since the party secured the legislature in November 2014. The bill will be sent back to the Senate to vote on portions that were revised. Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, however, will likely veto the proposal when it gets to his desk.
“If unions do a good job, I believe, workers will want to be members,” Republican Rep. Marty Gearheart told the legislature before the vote. “This bill allows workers to choose whether they want to be members.”
The measure was introduced Jan. 13 on the first day of the 60-day legislative session. The Senate first approved the proposal Jan. 21 before sending it to the House. Supporters of the proposal argue it will help reverse decades of bad economic policies enacted under previous Democratic control. Democratic Rep. Stephen Skinner warned it will cause workers to freeload off the union.
“I’ve learned a lot over the last four years about unions, the labor movement and all the good they do,” Skinner noted. “This bill should be called right-to-freeload.”
When a union becomes an exclusive representative for a workplace it is legally required to represent all workers. Critics of right-to-work argue this will cause workers to freeload since they get union benefits regardless of whether they fund it. Exclusive representation, however, is not the only way a union can organize workers. Unions can choose to become member-only organizations.
“Why in this day and age does a worker have to fund a union they do not morally agree with,” Republican Rep. Amy Summers said before the legislature.
Member-only unions are only required to represent workers that pay dues. Unions tend not to choose to be member only because they lose monopoly bargaining rights. Without monopoly rights other unions can try to organize workers at a company that is already unionized. Democratic Rep. Nancy Guthrie argues the bill is unnecessary and puts workers at risk.
“A bill like this doesn’t do anything more than add more insecurity,” Guthrie declared. “This is not a bill we need, this is a bill some people want.”
Those opposed to the proposal claim the policy makes it much more difficult for workers to advocate for themselves. There are currently 25 states which has passed right-to-work laws.
The measure passed despite a disputed Senate seat which put the Republican majority in question. Republican Sen. Daniel Hall helped the party take the majority in the Senate when he switched parties in 2014. When he resigned Jan. 3, though, both parties debated over who should fill the seat.
Hall left as a Republican but was voted in as a Democrat. The West Virginia Democratic Party asserted his seat should be replaced with someone in their party since he was elected as a Democrat. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals decided a Republican should fill the seat since he left as one.
Unions took another hit hours before the House passed right-to-work. The Senate passed a repeal of the state prevailing wage law. The policy benefits unions because it sets wages and benefits for public projects usually at a rate union contracts dictate. The policy impedes upon nonunion companies from competing at a lower cost for government contracts.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.