“Right To Work” Is Wrong For America: Whether You Are Union Or Not! From The Desk of: Darin Compton
“Right to Work” is legislation aimed to weaken unions and their ability to represent workers, negotiate better wages, safer working conditions and good health and welfare coverage. In all, 28 states now have RTW laws on the books; Missouri is the latest. A national “Right to Work” bill has just been introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. With Republicans in control of Congress we could see a national “Right to Work” law that would have a crippling effect on organized labor.
In states with RTW laws middle income workers make on average 13.9% or $ 8,174.00 per year less than do workers in states without RTW laws. States with RTW laws also spend 32.5% less per student on elementary and secondary education than do non RTW states according to AFL-CIO data. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics not only are injury rates higher in “Right to Work” states, but jobsite deaths are 49% higher. RTW states also have higher unemployment rates and poverty rates.
De-unionization is one reason Americans’ wages have declined, and the goal of “Right to Work” legislation is the weakening of unions and their ability to represent workers by eliminating the union security clause in collective bargaining agreements. According to The Building Trades Bulletin “RTW legislation is designed to lower workers’ wages, shut down unions, and maximize CEO profits.” Weaker unions can mean lower wages, less safe working conditions, and lesser health and welfare coverage for non-union workers too. Union negotiated wages and fringes set a high standard that non-union companies must compete with or risk losing their best workers. With a strong union presence it is a race to the top, without a strong union presence, it is a race to the bottom.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics union members earn on average 26.3% or $204.00 more per week than non-union workers. 79% of union workers participate in job provided health insurance compared to 49% of non-union workers, and 75% of union workers participate in a (defined benefit) retirement plan compared to just 15% of non-union workers. Strong unions are: “the rising tide that lifts all boats.” John F. Kennedy
Quality of life clearly does not measure up in “Right to Work” states. Wages are less, and people are less likely to have health insurance or a quality education, jobsite fatality rates are higher as well as poverty rates. “Right to Work Deceives working people” Richard Trumpka President AFL-CIO
Below is a list of Northern California Representatives. Consider calling your local representative and telling them you are a union member, you vote, and “Right to Work” is not Right!
Thank you, and live proud there is no substitute for skilled labor.
Darin
Jared Huffman – 2nd District, San Rafael 415-258-9657
John Garamendi – 3rd District, Davis 530-753-5301
Tom McClintock – 4th District, Roseville 916-786-5560
Mike Thompson – 5th District, Napa 707-226-9898
Doris Matsui – 6th District, Sacramento 916-498-5600
Ami Bera – 7th District, Sacramento 916-635-0505
Jerry McNerney – 9th District Stockton 209-476-8552
Jeff Denham – 10th District Modesto 209-579-5458
Mark DeSaulnier – 11th District Richmond 510-620-1000
Nancy Pelosi – 12th District San Francisco 415-556-4862
Barbara Lee – 13th District Oakland 510-763-0370
Jackie Speier – 14th District San Mateo 650-342-0300
Eric Swalwell – 15th District Pleasanton 925-460-5100
Jim Costa – 16th District Fresno 559-495-1620
Ro Khanna – 17th District Santa Clara 408-436-2720
Anna Eshoo – 18th District Palo Alto 650-323-2984
Zoe Lofgren – 19th District San Jose 409-271-8700
Jimmy Panetta – 20th District Salinas 831-424-2229
David Valadao – 21st District Hanford 559-582-5526
Devin Nunes – 22nd District Visalia 559-733-3861