MADISON – A union front group chaired by the president of the AFL-CIO released a biased and flawed report attempting to cast Right to Work laws in an unfavorable light. The report’s author made similar false statements about lower wages prior to passage of Right to Work in Indiana and Michigan. In reality, U.S. Labor Department data confirms wages have grown consistently in both Michigan and Indiana since those states enacted their Right to Work laws in 2012.
Contrary to the spin from the labor union bosses, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show Right to Work states grew jobs twice as fast as forced-union states from 2004-2013. Moreover, their data also show Right to Work states grew wages nearly twice as fast as forced-union states from 2003-2013.
WMC President/CEO Kurt R. Bauer said:
“A mountain of politically motivated reports from union front groups cannot overcome the reality that workers in Right to Work states enjoy competitive economic advantages over their counterparts in forced-union states. It’s time for Wisconsin to pass Right to Work and give workers the freedom of choice in the workplace.”
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has said he will work to pass Right to Work legislation in the state Senate in the next couple of months. Right to Work legislation prohibits firing workers who refuse to join a union. WMC supports passage of Right to Work legislation in Wisconsin to promote worker freedom and job creation and economic expansion.
Public opinion research has found that Right to Work legislation is vastly popular with Wisconsin voters and the state’s business community.
A WMC member survey found 81% of WMC members support passage of Right to Work legislation.
The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI) Voter Survey found 62% of the general public supports making Wisconsin a Right to Work state, including 54% of Democrats. The WPRI poll found that 77% of respondents said they oppose forcing people to join organizations such as unions.
“Despite this attempt by the unions to stop worker freedom, it’s time to pass Right to Work in the Badger State,” Bauer said.
Click here for the EPI Report.
