Majority of Labor Committee Rejects Right to Work For Less Bills

The Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee voted 8 to 3 to reject two Republican-backed “right to work” bills, LD 1636 and LD 1707, that would prohibit union security agreements with employers that require all workers in a bargaining unit to pay for the cost of union representation. LD 1636, sponsored by Senator Eric Brakey, would go even further to require the state Attorney General to prosecute workers for enforcing these contract clauses, with penalties of up to a year in jail with a maximum $2000 fine, plus “damages.”

Democratic lawmakers voted against the bills, while Republican lawmakers, Rep. Joe Galletta (R-Durham), Rep. Gary Drinkwater (R-Milford) and Rep. Mike Soboleski (R-Phillips) voted to pass the right to work for less bills. Both bills are heading to the full Legislature for a vote.