[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

"Right to work" laws are a government intrusion into the free market: an intrusion into the right to make business contracts and an intrusion into an employer's right to set conditions of employment. A right wing version of Big Government.

Why? It protects an employee from being forced to join a union in order to get or keep a job.
Nobody should be forced to pony up union dues and be dictated to by a union.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by OpinionInOcala

This is a bit older of course, but illustrates what I was getting at: http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2001/01/art1full.pdf

Nothing is going to absolve an employer from terminating an employee. Union or no union.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Why? It protects an employee from being forced to join a union in order to get or keep a job.
Nobody should be forced to pony up union dues and be dictated to by a union.

There are many terms of employment, belonging to a union is as legitimate a one as any. Besides, if an employer makes a deal with a union that's between the employer and the union, it's not the government's business.

It seems the only worker's right conservatives want to protect is their right to not join a union, a "right" intended to protect employers, not workers. Note too that these laws are written so workers who don't join a union MUST be paid the same as those who belong to the union that negotiates a contract. The Free Market should allow employers to pay less to workers who aren't in the union, yet these laws forbid it. Thus, this forces an economic entity, the union, to work in the interest of people who refuse to pay to for it's services. This is theft of services and goes against free market doctrine-- no one should be forced to work for nothing; not unions, not corporations, not anyone.

[wolf39us]

Right to work laws were put in place to destroy unions. Unions must collect dues and if they don't, they go down.

You want the benefits of the unions and pay nothing? The freeloader problem will ruin any union anywhere. I would gladly pay union dues (and have in the past) for better pay, better protection, better working conditions etc.

[things and stuff]

The main function of "Right to work" is to forbid certain types of union contracts. It doesn't allow an employer to require union membership as a condition of employment. That's why it is mostly Republican states.

The only time Republicans will support the government creating legislation to "protect" workers is when its to "protect" them from those evil unions.

[Restrain]

You have unions influencing legislators to mandate abuses, such as took place in MI. Home health care and family members getting assistance to help their elderly family members were arbitrarily mandated to be union members, with millions taken from the assistance checks. Went into union coffers with ZERO approval from said new members.

If you want to join a union, fine. Just that no one makes you. If the union can make a case that joining will benefit the employee, and the employee joins, fine. If not, that is fine too.

It is called freedom. Mandatory union is a form of involuntary servitude. No way you should have to pay a third party for the right to have a job.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by Restrain

It is called freedom. Mandatory union is a form of involuntary servitude.

A worker who doesn't want to meet conditions of employment, whatever they might be, is free to walk away and find a different job. That's what employers and conservatives say all the time.

[Spring Hillian]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

There are many terms of employment, belonging to a union is as legitimate a one as any. Besides, if an employer makes a deal with a union that's between the employer and the union, it's not the government's business.

It seems the only worker's right conservatives want to protect is their right to not join a union, a "right" intended to protect employers, not workers. Note too that these laws are written so workers who don't join a union MUST be paid the same as those who belong to the union that negotiates a contract. The Free Market should allow employers to pay less to workers who aren't in the union, yet these laws forbid it. Thus, this forces an economic entity, the union, to work in the interest of people who refuse to pay to for it's services. This is theft of services and goes against free market doctrine-- no one should be forced to work for nothing; not unions, not corporations, not anyone.

Many workers don't want to have anything to do with a union. They don't want their pockets picked for dues, they don't want to be told who they have to vote for in elections, they don't want to be a part of strikes. They should not be economically punished for not joining. Nobody is 'forced' to work any where.

[Not_liking_FL]

Originally Posted by Spring Hillian

Many workers don't want to have anything to do with a union. They don't want their pockets picked for dues, they don't want to be told who they have to vote for in elections, they don't want to be a part of strikes. They should not be economically punished for not joining. Nobody is 'forced' to work any where.

Most union workers make significantly more than their non-union counterparts so they're probably not complaining too much about dues.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

"Right to work" laws are a government intrusion into the free market: an intrusion into the right to make business contracts and an intrusion into an employer's right to set conditions of employment. A right wing version of Big Government.

It's 100% wrong