This week, I came across several articles on right to work. Not withstanding Ohio Governor John Kasich's pledge that the state would not pass a right to work law so long as he is in office, for another four months, there have been some developments in New Mexico and Michigan that I want to highlight for readers.
As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.
$15/Hour Minimum Wage Coming to New Jersey...At Some Point
Matt Arco wrote an article late last week that noted while New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy made a $15/hour minimum wage a major campaign pledge last year, there appears to be a delay in the New Jersey Legislature in regard to actually getting a minimum wage bill before the Governor by the end of the year. The sticking point? Some in the Legislature want carve outs so the $15/hour minimum wage hike would not apply to farm workers and teenagers. However, apparently Governor Murphy does not want carve outs in any minimum wage bill that makes its way to his desk for signature. Although this has become a point of contention, with a Democratic Governor and Democratic controlled state Legislature that want an increase in the current hourly wage rate of $8.60/hour, I suspect that a compromise will be worked out...it just might not happen this year as many had hoped.
After Defeat At the Statewide Level, Right to Work Activists in New Mexico Focus On Individual Counties
Readers might recall that statewide efforts to turn New Mexico into the next right to work state have not proven to be successful. Undeterred, right to work activists have turned their attention to individual counties throughout the state. As Brenna Goth notes, approximately a quarter of the counties in the state have passed right to work ordinances with the possibility of additional counties considering passing similar ordinances by the end of 2018. While there have been some legal challenges made to these counties having passed right to work ordinances, so far right to work advocates are hailing these victories as a decisive victory in the state after repeated failures to make New Mexico the next right to work state.
In Election Year, Michigan Democrats Pin Repeal of State's Right to Work Law On Potential Gubernatorial Victory
This November, voters in Michigan head to the polls and will have the opportunity to decide the state's next Governor. That race, pitting Democrat Gretchen Whitmer against Republican William Schuette and Libertarian Bill Gelineau, has right to work opponents hoping that a victory by Whitmer could spell the end to the state's right to work law. Whitmer, who has made repeal of the 2012 right to work law a part of her campaign platform, could find a ground swell of support among labor unions in the state. However, some legal scholars have suggested that in order to realistically be able to repeal right to work in Michigan, Democrats would also need to gain majority control the the House and Senate. Winning the gubernatorial race is one thing (with polls showing the race leaning Democratic at the moment)...but also gaining Democratic control of the House and Senate in November is less certain. Stay tuned.
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