Government affairs

In recent weeks, several states have already experienced significant efforts to undermine the labor movement:

Kentucky
On Jan. 7, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) signed into law a so-called “right to work” measure (H.B. 1) that was introduced by Speaker of the House Jeff Hoover (R) and Republican Reps. Jim DeCesare, Robert Benvenuti, Kevin Bratcher, John Carney, Jim DuPlessis, Richard Heath, Toby Herald, Dan Johnson, Kim King, Adam Koenig, Stan Lee, David Meade, Jerry Miller, Kimberly Poore Moser, David Osborne, Phillip Pratt, Bart Rowland, Sal Santoro, Jonathan Shell, Diane St. Onge, Walker Thomas, William Wells and Addia Wuchner.

On Jan. 9, Bevin also signed into law H.B. 3,repealing the current prevailing wage law. The repealed prevailing wage law had established a minimum wage for skilled construction work on public funded project and encouraged local hiring for publicly funded projects. H.B. 3 was introduced by Speaker Hoover and Republicam Reps. Adam Koenig, Robert Benvenuti, John Carney, Jim DeCesare, Richard Heath, Toby Herald, Dan Johnson, Kim King, Stan Lee, David Meade, Jerry Miller, Kimberly Poore Moser, David Osborne, Phillip Pratt, Sal Santoro, Jonathan Shell, Diane St. Onge, Walker Thomas and Addia Wuchner.

Also on Jan. 9, Bevin signed into law the so-called paycheck deception bill (H.B. 6) that was introduced by Republican Reps. Robert Stivers, Ralph Alvarado, Dan Seum, Damon Thayer and Max Wise. This legislation will require workers to “opt in” to having union dues withheld from their paychecks and require unions to use separate money for its political activities.

Missouri
On Jan. 12, Missouri’s House Economic Development Committee approved so-called “right to work” legislation (H.B. 91) that was introduced by Rep. Holly Rehder (R). The state’s Senate General Laws Committee also held a hearing on the companion “right to work” measure (S.B. 19) and a so-called paycheck deception bill (S.B. 21), both of which were introduced by Sen. Dan Brown (R).

New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s Senate Labor Committee passed a so-called “right to work” bill (S.B. 11) that was introduced by Republican Sens. John Reagan, Daniel Itse, Carol McGuire, James Spillane, Leonard Turcotte, Gary Daniels, Regina Birdsell, Kevin Avard, Yvonne Dean-Bailey, Bob Guida, James Gray, Ruth Ward, William Gannon, Daniel Innis, Harold French, Chuck Morse, Jeb Bradley and Andy Sanborn. The measure was set to considered by New Hampshire’s Senate on Jan. 19.

Ohio
On Jan. 10, West Chester, OH held a hearing on a local so-called “right to work” ordinance that could spur an effort across the state to move similar local ordinances. A second hearing was scheduled for Jan. 24.