West Virginia delegates voted 54-46 Thursday to make their state the 26th to adopt a right-to-work law.
The legislation, which passed the state senate earlier this month, must be approved by the chamber a second time. It is expected to be vetoed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, a Democrat, but Senate Republicans believe they have the votes to override.
Right-to-work laws prohibit union contracts with management that require all workers to either belong to a union or to financially support one as a condition of employment. Fans of the laws say that workers should decide for themselves whether they want to belong to a union. Critics such as Tomblin say they are little more than a ploy to weaken unions.
If West Virginia does adopt the right-to-work law, it would mark the first time that a majority of the states have had one, marking a significant turning point for union power. Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan have adopted the laws within the last three years.
If enacted, the law would go into effect July 1. It would not affect any existing collective-bargaining agreements, meaning that workers who currently must pay a fee to a union will still have to as long as their union’s existing contract with their employer remains in effect. No contract negotiated after July 1 would require the fees, though.
An estimated 10 percent of West Virginia workers are union members.
