NILRR: Compulsory Unionism ‘By a Government Decree’ in West Virginia?

Source: CNSNews Service

Roughly three-and-a-half years ago, pro-Right to Work West Virginia legislators overrode Big Labor Democrat Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto to make the Mountain State the 26th to prohibit union officials from forcing employees to fork over a portion of their paychecks to get or keep a job.

Since the West Virginia Right to Work law was adopted and implemented, rank-and-file employees in the state have clearly been faring better economically.   

For example, last year nonfarm wage-and-salary income in the Mountain State soared by a hefty 7.0 percent, nearly triple the national rate of inflation as measured by the consumer price index.  West Virginia’s wage-and-salary income gain was greater than those of 47 of the other 49 states, and more than 50 percent greater than the national average. …

Stan Greer is a Senior Research Associate for the National Institute for Labor Relations Research