Labor & Employment Law

Missouri Republicans Oppose So-Called Right to Work

By admin

Cathy Sherwin, AFL-CIO Field Communications staffer in Missouri, sends us this latest report.

Can Republicans oppose “right to work for less“? Absolutely. Here?s some proof from Jefferson County, Mo.

The Jefferson County Republican Central Committee recently unanimously approved a resolution condemning “right to work” proposals being pushed by a handful of state senators, notably Missouri Senate President Pro-Tem Rob Mayer.

So called “right-to-work” bills are “divisive and are not the way our state should go,” said Committee Chairman Janet Engelbach.

We?ve got a lot of serious economic problems to deal with, and we need to remember the important role of unions in our county and in our state.

Engelbach, whose husband George is a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 36, added that

We got involved in this issue because it is so important for our workers and our families.

When the resolution was announced to a wider audience at the Jefferson County Republican Club meeting, Englebach said there were no objections. She says “keeping good jobs here isn?t a partisan issue, and our legislators shouldn?t be pushing ‘right to work,’ especially not right now.”

Engelbach said the committee sent copies of the resolution to Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, as well as to Republican leaders in the Missouri Senate, House of Representatives and the Missouri Republican State Committee.

Other lawmakers in Missouri and around the country who are pushing for “right-to-work” legislation should heed the actions of the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee–if not for for the well-being of workers in their communities, then for their own job security. As former Missouri Sen. Kit Bond said in 1978, the last “right to work” campaign in Missouri was “a disaster.”

It wiped out every single Republican from top to bottom.

Interesting that Bond’s words are now echoing in our state Capitol.

Legislation like these senate bills in Missouri are a direct attack on working families. Thanks to the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee for taking a strong and principled stand in favor of the workers in their community.

The resolution stated:

“WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee recognizes the past and continuing contributions of organized labor in promoting and overseeing safe working conditions for the members of this Nation?s workforce; and

“WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee recognizes that organized labor provides a quality work force in the trades for our state; and

“WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee recognizes that our economy is dependent and functions best when both organized labor and business work together cooperatively in partnerships; and

“WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee understands that there is currently pending in the Missouri State Legislature, proposed legislation, barring employers from requiring their employees to refrain from becoming members of labor organizations; and

“WHEREAS, the Jefferson County Republican Central Committee believes that passage of this type of legislation would undermine those contributions, efforts, and influences of organized labor, as enumerated above, and jeopardize the benefits to our economy of a productive partnership between labor and business in the state of Missouri;

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 04, 2011 (boomark / email).