NILRR Right to Work Clips May 26, 2017

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No Love for Forced Unionism

freebeacon.com, May 24, 2017

Chief Executive magazine surveyed CEOs across the country about the economic environments that are best suited for their companies. The survey found that right-to-work laws, which prohibit mandatory union membership as a condition of employment, play a large role in attracting business. Of the 500 CEOs polled, 78 percent reported that they preferred to operate in such states compared to just 3 percent that preferred or operated solely in unionism states.

All ten states that were graded as having the best business climates are right-to-work states, while the bottom 13 states do not have such laws on the books, according to the magazine, which releases annual rankings

National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation spokesman Patrick Semmens said that attracting economic development is the main driver behind ending coercive unionism. He pointed to Kentucky, which passed right to work in January after Republicans took control of the state legislature for the first time in more than 90 years, as a chief example of the immediate economic boost that comes from adopting the legislation.

The National Institute for Labor Relations Research, a think tank that opposes forced unionism, said that the survey follows a pattern observed in state economic development statistics.

“Overwhelmingly through the years, CEOs have judged that, in right-to-work states, employees have superior work ethics, real estate costs are relatively low, and public officials have a much more positive attitude towards business,” NILRR said in a blog post.

The Entire Public Sector Is About to Be Put on Trial

inthesettimes.com, May 25, 2017

As a judge, Neil Gorsuch, Scalia’s replacement, sided with corporations 91 percent of the time in pension disputes and 66 percent of the time in employment and labor cases. If the court rules in favor of the Janus plaintiff–an Illinois public sector worker whose case not to pay union dues is being argued by the right-wing Liberty Justice Center and the National Right to Work Foundation–then right to work could become the law of the land in the public sector, weakening unions and dramatically reducing living standards for millions of workers across the country.

The Mill That Right-to-Work Built

Wall Street Journal Online, May 19, 2017

The episode soured him on organized labor, and it’s one reason he was determined to build his new aluminum plant in a right-to-work state, where workers can’t be compelled to join a union. Before choosing Ashland, he drew up a list of 24 potential sites. The logistics favored Ashland, and Kentucky offered $10 million in tax incentives as well as low-cost electricity. But Mr. Bouchard says he was prepared to build elsewhere had Kentucky’s Republican governor, Matt Bevin, not signed right-to-work legislation in January.

Project Labor Agreements: A Costly Way to Build Schools in Ohio

Beacon Hill Institute Online, May 25, 2017

There are two costs to consider in assessing the effects of PLAs – the actual construction costs and the winning bids. BHI found that PLAs increase actual construction costs by $23.12 (or 13.12%) per square foot. They increase the winning bids by $25.06 (or 15.55%) per square foot.

NLRB: Nonunion Employees Do Not Have A Right To A Co-Worker’s Presence During Investigatory Interviews

natlawreview.com, May 26, 2017

A recent Board opinion, however, demonstrates that there are circumstances where the Board will decline to extend certain rights to nonunion employees. Specifically, the Board has determined that so-called Weingarten rights do not apply to nonunion employees. Weingarten rights enable union workers to insist on having a representative present during investigatory interviews that could reasonably result in discipline. Pursuant to the NLRB’s recent ruling, however, nonunion employees do not have a right to request that a co-worker or representative be present during such interviews.

State Supreme Court to hear arguments on right-to-work law in September

wvmetronews.com, May 22, 2017

A date has been set for arguments regarding the future of West Virginia’s right-to-work law.

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals will hear Patrick Morrisey, Attorney General v. West Virginia AFL-CIO, et al., on September 5, the day after Labor Day.

Union deal could saddle Connecticut with 30 year labor contract

Yankee Institute for Public Policy Online, May 22, 2017

Reports surfaced Monday about a tentative deal between Gov. Dannel Malloy and the state employee labor unions to achieve $1.5 billion in concessions over the next two years and extend the state employee contract to 2027.

Labor groups sue over right-to-work law

dailyindependent.com, May 26, 2017

The Kentucky AFL-CIO and Teamsters Local 89 are asking the law be thrown out and seek an injunction prohibiting its enforcement, claiming it discriminates against unions while not prohibiting forced dues collections by other volunteer member organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Bar Association.

Ending the Obama labor board majority

Washington Times Online, May 25, 2017

The five-seat NLRB, with two vacancies, remains controlled by a two-to-one Obama majority. Until two new members are nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the Senate, the Big Labor majority will continue to issue rulings to expand union boss powers.

Opinion: State Union Rankings Show Strength of Labor Depends on Size of Government

the74million.org, May 24, 2017

The composition of the workforce, and of unions that make up part of the workforce, help make sense of a state’s labor policies. With that in mind, I constructed a simple table that provides three figures for each state: 1) public sector workers expressed as a percentage of the total workforce; 2) public sector union members expressed as a percentage of total union membership; and 3) a “strength score” assigned by combining the two figures, giving them equal weight, and referencing them to a national average score of 100.

No Representation without Consent – Not Even from Unions

fee.org, May 19, 2017

In the US, 10.7 percent of workers are union members, while 11.9 percent of workers are covered (Table I, All Wage and Salary Workers) by union-negotiated terms of employment. While the discrepancy is much smaller than it is in France, the same urgent question demands an answer: should anyone be forced to accept representation services from any private entity against his or her will?

New York City Wants to Supersize the ‘Fight for $15’

Wall Street Journal Online, May 20, 2017

The legislation in New York City, described as the “first of its kind” by its sponsor, is designed to solve these problems by enlisting employers in the fight before they are even unionized. Here’s how the Fast Food Worker Empowerment Act, as it is called, would work: If a fast-food worker so chose, his employer would be required to deduct contributions from his paycheck each month and remit them to a not-for-profit organization. That could include union-aligned nonprofits. A New York City local of the SEIU has already created one called Fast Food Justice.

HOFFA CORRUPTION COVER-UP

Teamsters for a Democratic Union Online, MAY 23, 2017

Even Hoffa’s whitewash panel had to admit that Smith, “might have had some reason to suspect that the passes were obtained with the assistance of SWS.” But, they cleared Smith anyway, claiming he didn’t know that the $6,000 tickets had any value.

“This decision is an insult to the intelligence of every Teamster–and a betrayal of our union and the members,” said Fred Zuckerman. “If you go along with corruption and cover it up, you are just as guilty and the members will take you on and hold you accountable.”

House Republicans Target Taxpayer Funded Union Work

insidesources.com, May 24, 2017

House Republicans passed a bill Wednesday aimed at providing further oversight into a practice that allows federal workers to do union work instead of their jobs.

Federal employees are allowed to do union tasks instead of their regularly assigned work because of a policy known as official time. The workers retain their title, salary, and benefits while doing the union tasks. Federal reports have found official time usage is often misreported because of oversight problems.

Teachers Unions Losing Long War Over Parental Choice

nationalreview.com, May 26, 2017

In other words, charter schools have come into their own, and we’re probably well past the point that the unions could so directly stomp them. They’ll do what they can to harass and hobble them, but such frontal attacks remain symbolic. And the courts continue to have their say, and frequently end up siding with the charter-school movement.

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