Right-to-Work? – Wrong!
(This article appeared in the March/April 2013 edition of The American Postal Worker.)
Joyce B. Robinson, Research & Education Department Director
"Right-to-work” sure sounds good. But “right-to-work” laws, which are being promoted and passed in many states around the country, are wrong for workers and wrong for America. These laws make it optional for workers covered by union contracts to help pay for the expenses unions incur protecting workers’ rights.
Supporters claim that “right-to-work” laws offer protection and economic benefits for workers. Yet studies show that these laws drive down wages, benefits, and overall living standards.
“Right-to-work” laws now exist in 24 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
And the “right-to-work” forces are intent on expanding these antiunion laws to other states.
Wrong for Workers, Economy 
According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), workers living in “right-to-work” states earn approximately $1,500 less per year than workers in states without such laws. The wage gap is even higher for women and workers of color.
EPI also reports that the rate of employer-sponsored health insurance is 2.6 percent lower than in states without these anti-union laws.
Safety is also a major concern in “right-to-work” states. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the rate of workplace deaths is 52.9 percent higher in “right-to-work” states.
Some politicians claim “right-to-work” laws encourage businesses to set up shop in their states, improving the local economy. But according toArea Development magazine, the leading publication for executives of corporate site selection and relocation, businesses don’t consider whether states have “right-to-work” laws when deciding where to locate. High-tech companies favor locations with a highly-skilled workforce and low turnover — characteristics that correspond to a higher concentration of unionized workers.
And EPI estimates that for every $1 million in wage cuts, a local economy sheds six jobs. In fact, eight of the 12 states with the highest unemployment rates have “right-to-work” laws.
Who’s Pushing It?
Who’s behind “right-to-work?” Far-right, antiunion politicians are promoting the laws on behalf of their big-business donors. By weakening workers’ ability to have a say about their job, “right-to-work” laws weaken unions’ ability to advocate on behalf of their members.
The politicians advancing “right-to-work” legislation depend on a coordinated network of extremist groups to provide resources and research, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the National Right to Work Committee. These organizations push a pro-corporate, anti-worker agenda.
ALEC authored many of the state laws that were passed in the run-up to the 2012 election to restrict voting — the laws that led to unprecedented lines at the polls last November. ALEC’s roster includes executives from Comcast and Wal-Mart, which are notorious for their low-wage and anti-workers business practices.
According to American Rights at Work, “right-to-work” supporters hide behind the claim that the laws protect workers who don’t want to join a union or who disagree with a union’s politics. But federal labor law already protects workers who don’t want to join a union or make political contributions.
The true purpose of “right to work” is to weaken the ability of unions to advocate for all workers and expose corporate greed. It is plain-and-simple union-busting, designed to weaken or destroy unions.
“Right-to-work” laws translate into lower wages and benefits, a diminished standard of living, substandard legal protections, and more dangerous working conditions for all workers — not just union members.