(The Center Square) – New Hampshire lawmakers have shot down a proposed right to work law seeking to limit labor unions from collecting dues from nonmembers, but backers of the plan are vowing to keep pushing for its approval.
The proposal, rejected 200-180 in the state House of Representatives, would have allowed unionized workers in the private sector to opt out of paying their dues even while continuing to receive the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement. Several Republicans joined with Democrats to “indefinitely postpone” consideration of the bill, effectively spelling its demise this legislative session.
Backers of the proposal, like the New Hampshire chapter of Americans for Prosperity, criticized it’s rejection by lawmakers and vowed to “hold lawmakers accountable for voting against worker freedom” and continue to work to expand support for the changes. The pro-business group lobbied hard for the bill’s passage, framing it as a way to “protect worker freedom” and improve the state’s economic competitiveness.
“Unfortunately, lawmakers have rejected an opportunity to stimulate more economic growth by continuing to deny private sector workers in New Hampshire the same right enjoyed by government employees,” Greg Moore, AFP-NH’s regional director, said in a statement. “But the fight for worker freedom doesn’t end here.”
Right to work legislation has been debated in New Hampshire for decades but has failed to win enough support to become a law. The Legislature approved a right to work bill in 2011 that was vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch.
The most recent effort came in 2021 when Democrats blocked a Republican-led proposal to prevent labor unions from collecting dues from private sector workers.
Supporters of the effort were optimistic about the bill’s chances in the current legislative session with Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, pledging to sign a bill if passed.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled public sector workers cannot be forced to pay fees to unions that represent them in collective bargaining.
The court’s decision ended a provision in 26 other states that required public employees to pay what’s known as fair share fees as a condition of employment, even if they don’t want to be union members. The fees are meant to help offset the bargaining and contract administration costs that benefit them.
However, the ruling doesn’t affect private-sector unions unless they represent workers in one of the 27 states with right to work laws.
In New Hampshire, about 70,000 employees – or 10% of the workforce – belonged to unions in 2022, with public sector employees representing about two-thirds, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In Congress, Republican lawmakers have introduced several bills to pass a National Right to Work Act allowing employees to choose not to join a union, including one filed by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., last week. Federal law already prohibits forcing employees to join a union, but that doesn’t cover the private sector.