America was envisioned as a land of freedom and economic opportunity. Unfortunately, too many hardworking Americans have been forced into unions that take money out of their paychecks in dues to fund things they don’t support. Republican-led state legislatures across the country have led the fight on enacting right-to-work policies that ensure workplace freedom by making union membership a choice, not a requirement for employment.
While half of our states already enjoy the economic benefits associated with RTW policies, our nation has officially become majority-RTW following the West Virginia Republican-led legislature’s successful override of Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s RTW veto. As the 26th state to pass RTW legislation, West Virginians are now in a position to see the economic benefits that have resulted from RTW laws across the country at home in their state, despite the efforts of the Democrats who voted against and the governor who vetoed the legislation.
West Virginia University recently published a study examining the economic impact of RTW policy and what the enactment of RTW would mean for West Virginia. Unsurprisingly, the study found that states with RTW policies saw substantial economic benefits when compared to non-RTW states. Between 1950 and 2014, RTW states saw employment grow 5.7 percent — almost double the rate of non-RTW states. Further, RTW states have seen faster GDP growth rates than non-RTW states — 7.8 percent GDP growth versus 5.3 percent between 1963 and 2013. With RTW now law in West Virginia, increases in long-term GDP and employment can be expected.
While the first RTW law was passed in Nevada in 1911, it was the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947 — which required overriding a veto from President Truman to pass — that set in motion the widespread adoption of RTW laws in states over the next half century. After a recent decade-long drought where full passage of RTW legislation was absent, Republicans in state legislatures carried the banner of opportunity and workplace freedom and started to pass RTW legislation once again following the pivotal 2010 elections. During that election, the Republican State Leadership Committee engaged heavily in key races across the country to help Republicans flip 21 state legislative chambers from blue to red.
Michigan is one of those 2010 states where Republicans took back control of the state House after four years of a Democratic majority and subsequently passed RTW legislation in 2012. That same year, another 2010 majority change state, Indiana, passed RTW legislation. These recent successes of RTW legislation, and a host of other new and innovative job-creation measures, have only been possible through the leadership of Republican-controlled legislatures. Before West Virginia, the most recent RTW victory occurred last year in Wisconsin — yet another state where Republicans regained control of both state legislative chambers in 2010 and in recalls to follow with the help of the RSLC.
Despite holding an overwhelming majority of full state legislatures — 31 to be exact — Republicans are still facing opposition in states where Democrats hold governorships. In Missouri last year, Republicans successfully pushed through RTW legislation but were unable to override Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto.
Likewise in Kentucky, RTW has been a coveted policy goal, but with a split legislature and years of a Democrat in the governor’s mansion, 12 counties had no choice but to pass RTW policies on their own. However, the county efforts were short lived as a U.S. District Court judge just ruled that the National Labor Relations Act bars Hardin County — one of the 12 Kentucky counties — from enacting its own RTW policies. But Kentuckians have hope. Hot on the heels of Republican victories in the governor and lieutenant governor races last year, four key state House special elections next month could bring that last remaining Democratic legislature in the South to a tie. As a result, the chances of RTW passing in the Bluegrass State are better than ever.
While opponents of RTW struggle to hold on to the fading vestiges of special interest power, the truth is that RTW protects the core principles this country was founded on: freedom and opportunity. Passing laws that promote workers’ choice by making union membership voluntary — not a condition of employment — give workers and their families power over their own paychecks. As the nation officially becomes majority-RTW, Republican-led legislatures will continue enacting policies that will help return power to hard-working people, ensure economic liberty and promote opportunity for all.
Matt Walter is president of the Republican State Leadership Committee. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
