Understanding so-called "Right to Work" changes proposed in Minnesota

Right To Work (for scraps) – The Issues

There is some discussion among very pro-business Republicans about putting a so-called “Right To Work” law on the ballot in Minnesota this year as a Constitutional Amendment.  Governor Dayton opposes this effort, but he cannot stop this from happening.  If a bill passes both the Republican controlled House and Senate it will go right to the ballot in November.

This is critical moment for our union.  If "Right To Work" is passed by MN voters your union will be crippled, and your collective bargaining strength will diminish greatly.

This is politics at its worst.  There is no public outcry for Right To Work; the other side couldn't produce 10 union members that say they need this. This will do nothing to create one job in Minnesota, in fact employers are not asking for it at all.  This is simply about some lobbyists and special interests trying to destroy the unions that they paint as thugs - they make unions out to be the enemy so CEOs can collect even bigger bonuses.

The MN legislators on this bandwagon are being encouraged by well-financed out of state lobbyists that simply want to see unions destroyed.  They are pledging big money to the Republicans if they put this on the ballot.

It is critical that union members are informed on this issue – and that we are talking to our friends and family about how bad this is for Minnesota. The Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation has set up briefings between now and the end of March, open to anybody, it's worth stopping by one if you can make it (mostly in the Mpls/St.Paul metro, unfortunately.)

There are four basic talking-points used by the special interests that you need to understand well enough to debunk:

 
• Welfare System
 
• Collective Bargaining
 
• Wages and Benefits
 
• Services Lost

Welfare System

"Right To Work" allows members of the collective bargaining unit to opt out of union membership and stop paying dues while they continue to receive all of the services that the union is required to provide.  

This creates a welfare system by which the vast majority of members that are paying dues are paying for the small minority of people that decide they want to get all the benefits without paying a dime.

This creates a welfare system where you are literally paying for the services that the person working next to you is using but not paying for.

The fact that this only applies to unions and no other membership organization is also disturbing. Unions provide a service to their members just like any other organization, why in the world should people be allowed to get that service for free when others are paying?

It’s simply wrong, and quite frankly Un-American. If you're having trouble making somebody see that it's anti-free-market, big government interference in our bargaining, here's an easy example: the "Right to Work Out."  

Collective Bargaining

When employers know that the union does not represent the entire bargaining unit during negotiations what do you think that does to our ability to negotiate a contract?

It significantly weakens our position because employers know we are divided.  And that is the real point of Right to Work – they want to divide workers, because employers know when workers are divided they are weak, and when they are weak they can be paid less.

During the last negotiations that Local 49 had in North Dakota, which is a "Right to Work" state, the contractors opening position was a $13 per hour pay cut.  If so-called "Right to Work" passes in Minnesota, we will be talking about how much we are going to cut, not about how much we can settle for getting.

There is no question, in every state that has passed "Right to Work" the strength of unions to collectively bargain has been dramatically weakened. Earnings decrease for everybody, not just members.

Wages and Benefits

When collective bargaining strength is eroded, wages and benefits go down, it’s that simple.  

On average in all sectors of the economy, workers in "Right to Work" states make $5,000 less per year than workers doing the same job in a Non-Right to Work state.  That is a fact that is self evident.

49ers need to look no further than their own contracts to see the difference:

In "Right to Work" North Dakota, an operator makes about $8 less per hour than the same operator working on the same piece of equipment in Minnesota.

Those are just the facts.  If so-called "Right to Work" passes in Minnesota, you will make less money, period.

Services Lost

This year Local 49 has not had holiday parties.  We have also not filled positions of people that have retired.  We have laid off clerical staff.  The staff has taken pay cuts.  All of this was caused by the downturn in the economy and the lack of work hours, and the resulting lack of dues coming in to the union.  This is a fact of life, when times get tough you tighten your belt, there really is no other choice.

Think about what happens to our union if a lot of people decide to stop paying dues altogether:

Agents will be forced to spend their time trying to collect dues instead of enforcing the contract, and making sure 49ers are in those seats and not other crafts.

Organizers will be out trying to keep our people together instead of out there organizing the un-unorganized and growing our market share.

There will be no time or money for politics – there will be no one fighting to make sure there are jobs for you to work on, or that prevailing wage is protected so that that job can still support your family.

The infrastructure of our union will crumble, and the services that you get will go away.  That is what the supporters of "Right to Work" want – nothing less than the destruction of your union.

Conclusion:

So-called "Right to Work" is Armageddon for union members.  It is a threat to your wages, your benefits, and therefore your family.  

There are some people that are trying to take away everything that generations have fought and died for.  We cannot let them cripple our union.  We cannot let them take away our ability to bargain.  We cannot let them take away our ability to earn enough to support our families.

That is what is at stake.  Know the facts about so-called "Right to Work" and the assault on Prevailing Wage laws in MN, and be ready to fight when the time comes.