Politics

A Right-To-Work Democrat

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One Missouri Democrat defied his own party Wednesday to promote a right-to-work bill.

Right-to-work laws make it illegal to force workers into a union as a condition of employment. Currently there are 24 states under their own versions of the law. The Missouri measure would apply strictly to the state’s construction trade unions.

Democratic Missouri State Representative Courtney Curtis argues that such a law is necessary, because without it, unions will do more to benefit themselves as opposed to their members, especially minorities.

“This will starve them,” Curtis declared to PoliticMo. “Of the resources they need to pay the handsome salaries they have, and force them to provide services to their members,” Curtis said.

During a House debate Wednesday on the measure, Republicans kept quiet and let Curtis defend the bill from his own party, PoliticMo reports.

His fellow Democrats however are arguing that a right-to-work bill won’t help promote unions to do a better job at representing minority workers.

“How is this bill going to force any organization to be inclusive,” Rep. Carla May, told PoliticMo. “There’s no way to legislative equality.”

The bill received first-round approval by a voice vote and will head to the Senate a recorded vote in the House.

James Sherk, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, has argued that giving workers a choice of whether to join a union can help them drastically by motivating the union to provide better services so members are more likely to stay.

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