January 12, 2015
by Nick Novak
Originally published by The Washington Times.
After another wave year for conservatives, multiple states are primed to enact right-to-work policies.
Right now, in 26 states, workers can be forced to join a union and pay compulsory dues. Even if an employee opposes the union’s efforts, they can still be required to join – just to keep their job. States with right-to-work laws, however, grant workers freedom from joining a union and paying dues.
No one should be forced to join an organization they don’t want to in order to get a job. If an employer required prospective workers to join the Democratic or Republican Party to get hired, hysteria would ensue. So, why do more than half the states allow for a policy that can compel employees to join a union?
The answer is: They shouldn’t.
I want to be clear, right-to-work is not about diminishing unions. It is about empowering workers with the freedom of choice. In fact, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, union membership grew slightly from 2004 to 2013 in right-to-work states, but actually declined by nearly five percent in non-right-to-work states.
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