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Will West Virginia Become the Next Right to Work State?


As of this writing, there are currently twenty five states that have right to work laws in place.  Other states are considering passing right to work legislation (From The Washington Post - Missouri Could Be the Next Right to Work Battleground State), but news has come out recently that West Virginia could become the twenty sixth state.  For those unfamiliar with right to work issues, states without right to work laws can allow companies to require union membership as a condition of employment.  Unsurprisingly, unions despise right to work laws.  Without these laws in place, unions are free to bolster their ranks and increase the influx of union dues if union membership is required. 

Recently, Republicans in the West Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have been looking at a study that found economic benefits associated with right to work laws.  (A copy of the study can be found here).  With some difficult economic conditions in the state, it is unsurprising that politicians (and in this case, Republicans) are looking for ways to stimulate the state economy.  As West Virginia Senate President Bill Cole said in a press release "This study should encourage us to break from the status quo and fully pursue making West Virginia a right-to-work state."  Parts of West Virginia have traditionally been very blue collar and union friendly.  

Unions and their pro-labor supports often claim that right to work laws are ineffective in as much as they drive down wages and benefits and hinder worker safety.  However, the recent study out of West Virginia did not find a "statistically reliable" relationship between right to work laws and a change in wages and salary rates.  Supporters of these right to work laws often point out that unions use scare tactics to protect their "fat cat" salaries.  

And as if on cue, labor leader Mike Caputo (who is also a Democratic delegate from Marion County and district vice president for the United Mine Workers of America) has claimed that the rate of workplace deaths is 54.4% higher in states with right to work laws.  As well, Caputo has stated that the average salary in right to work states is $5,000.00 lower.  While these statements might play effectively to union members, the question is whether this message translates to the general public.  Note, a few years ago, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin all enacted right to work laws, even in the face of these "dire" warnings from unions about the dangers of right to work legislation.

For now, this issue is just getting off the ground.  It goes without saying that in a Democratic (and union friendly) state such as West Virginia, it might be difficult to get right to work legislation passed.  However, if a Democratic governor in labor friendly Pennsylvania can sign into law a bill that removes a "labor dispute" exemption for unions ("Labor Dispute" Exemption Removed for Unions)...well, anything is possible.  Even in neighboring West Virginia.  

Stay tuned.

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