House bills seek to make Pa. a right-to-work state

Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania are set to reintroduce a series of seven bills that would make Pennsylvania a "right-to-work" state. The bills are part of the Pennsylvania "Open Workforce Initiative" which seeks to eliminate mandatory dues to unions for state employees. ​

Right-to-work states are increasing in the country, with 28 now. These laws prohibit union security agreements, meaning if an employee does not wish to be part of a union, he or she would not have to pay union dues. The bills are being pitched by advocating for an "end to compulsory unionism," however, by law that is already illegal. Compulsory unionism, or "closed shops" where employees must remain members of a union to retain employment, have been illegal since the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act. However, in non-right-to work states, non-union employees can still have to pay a fee for receiving union coverage.

Proponents of the bill say it will increase economic growth and give workers "freedom."

"The Right to Work discussion is about individual freedom. Pennsylvanians should have the ability to choose who they associate with, including in the workplace," said Rep. Rob Kauffman, R-Chambersburg, one of the lawmakers reintroducing the series of bills. "Unions play an important role in our society for those who choose to join them."

"This is something Pennsylvania voters want," said Michele Jansen, director of legislation and policy for PA Right to Work, a nonprofit group. "I believe it strengthens unions because it makes them represent their members better."

However, because those who elect not to pay union dues still get the benefits of a union contract, opponents say it allows for "freeloading" and is an attempt to gut unions.

"These laws are wrong for every state," said Richard Bloomingdale, president of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, the state's labor union. "They result in lower wages, poorer schools and more occupational safety hazards."

A study done by the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute in 2015 found that wages in right-to-work states were 3.1 percent lower than those in non-right-to-work states.

However, Jansen pushed back against any data used by the EPI.

"You have to be careful when looking at them because they have an extreme bias." she said. "They often put out propaganda for the unions."

Instead she pointed out that PA Right to Work has been using data from the conservative Heritage Foundation, which says these laws do not lower pay.

Unions have been on a steep decline for decades. Fifty years ago, nearly one-third of workers belonged to a union. Now it's about 10 percent. In Pennsylvania union membership peaked around 1974 at 37.7 percent. In 2016, union membership in Pennsylvania had fallen to 12.1 percent.

"I'll give the right wing credit, they really do come up with some dandy names." Bloomingdale said. "Right-to-work is really right-to-work for less protections."

Source: Public Opinion