What exactly does “right-to-work” mean?
Right to work refers to those states which have by law affirmed the right of citizens to work for a living without being compelled to belong to a union or to pay dues to it in order to retain their jobs. No individual should be compelled, against his or her interests, to join a labor union. The twenty states that were right-to-work between 1975 and 1985 created about 92% of the nation’s new manufacturing jobs. There is an unfortunate misconception that right-to-work means “right to work for less.” The truth is, after adjusting for cost of living, families in right-to-work states annually earn nearly $3,000 more than those in compulsory unionism states. MPR: How is that different from a “free market” in labor representation? A free market in labor representation would allow workers to negotiate individually with their employer. Current labor laws do not ensure freedom of choice in labor representation once a union is chosen by a bare majority of workers. Various provisions of the law pa
