The Right to Work principle –- the guiding concept of the National Right to Work Committee –- affirms the right of every American to work for a living without being compelled to affiliate with a union. Compulsory union membership in any form — including so-called “union,” “closed,” or “agency” shops –- is a contradiction of the Right to Work principle and the fundamental human right represented by that principle. Every individual must have the right, but must not be compelled, to join a labor union.

What is a Right to Work law?

A Right to Work law guarantees that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or pay dues or “fees” to a labor union. Such a law also reaffirms and strengthens the existing federal labor-law provisions that bar hiring discrimination against union members. Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act affirms the right of states to enact Right to Work laws. Currently 26 states have passed such laws. The 26 states are:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

What is 14(b)?

Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act guarantees the states the right to enact Right to Work laws, which prohibit compulsory union membership dues and “fees” as a condition of employment. The National Labor Relations Act authorizes forced union dues, but Section 14(b) of Taft-Hartley allows states to protect their citizens from this abusive federal policy.

Is Right to Work “anti-union” or “pro-union”?

The National Right to Work Committee is neither “anti-union” nor “pro-union.” The focus is on individual freedom. The Committee affirms the right of all Americans to be free of compulsory unionism abuses.

What is “exclusive representation”?

“Exclusive representation” gives union officials the power to codetermine with an employer working conditions for all employees in a “bargaining unit” — including employees who oppose Big Labor and prefer to bargain on their own behalf. This monopoly-bargaining power is a special privilege granted to private-sector union officials by federal law.

What do union propagandists mean by the term “free rider”?

A so-called “Free Rider” is the name given by advocates of forced unionism to any employee who does not pay the union for union-boss bargaining he does not want, but which he is forced to accept because of “exclusive representation.” Such an employee is actually a “captive passenger.”

What effect does a Right to Work law have on a state’s standard of living?

Statistics show that Right to Work states enjoy greater economic vitality than do states where union dues and “fees” are compulsory. Per capita income has grown significantly faster in Right to Work states for decades. Right to Work states also have faster growth in manufacturing and nonagricultural jobs and capital expenditures, lower unemployment rates, and fewer work stoppages.

What is the “Freedom from Union Violence Act”?

Passage of the Freedom from Union Violence Act –- a bill scheduled to be reintroduced in Congress within the next few weeks — would address the widespread and continuing problem of union violence, which is encouraged by deficient federal law. This legislation would close a loophole in the federal Hobbs Anti-Extortion Act, eliminating the special judicially-created exemption in this law for union-related violence and extortion and holding union officials to the same legal standards as other Americans. To learn more about the Freedom from Union Violence Act, click here.

What is the National Right to Work Act?

The ultimate solution to compulsory union dues is the National Right to Work Act.  This legislation would not add a single word to U.S. federal labor law, but would simply delete those passages in the current law that authorize Big Labor to force workers to pay union dues or “fees” to keep their jobs.  To learn more about the National Right to Work Act, click here.