On June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in Janus v. AFSCME that public-sector unions cannot collect “fair share” fees from non-members to cover the costs of collective bargaining, overturning the Court’s 1977 precedent in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. The decision, …
Justice Samuel AlitoJustice Neil GorsuchNational Right to Work FoundationState Policy NetworkBradley Foundation+3 moreeducationlaborsupreme-courtteachers-unionsright-to-work+2 more
By early 2017, 28 U.S. states have right-to-work laws, with eight traditionally industrial and union-strong states adopting the legislation since 2010 using American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation: Indiana and Michigan (2012), Wisconsin (2015), West Virginia (2016), and …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Koch brothersAmericans for ProsperityU.S. Chamber of CommerceNational Association of Manufacturers+1 morelabor-suppressionalecright-to-workunion-bustingstate-capture+4 more
The Kentucky Legislature passes House Bill 1, an ALEC-inspired right-to-work measure, making Kentucky the 27th right-to-work state just one week into the 2017 legislative session. Governor Matt Bevin signs the legislation swiftly, fulfilling what ALEC describes as “one of the most repeated …
Matt BevinKentucky LegislatureAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Kentucky House Committeelabor-suppressionright-to-workaleckentuckyunion-busting+2 more
The West Virginia Legislature overrides Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s veto of the “Workplace Freedom Act,” making West Virginia the 26th state to enact right-to-work legislation prohibiting mandatory union membership or fees. The override follows the coordinated Koch-backed playbook …
West Virginia LegislatureEarl Ray TomblinAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Koch NetworkState Policy Network+1 morelabor-suppressionright-to-workalecwest-virginiaunion-busting+2 more
Governor Scott Walker signs private sector right-to-work legislation at an invitation-only ceremony at Badger Meter in Brown Deer, making Wisconsin the 25th right-to-work state and completing the systematic destruction of union power in the state. After Act 10 (2011) eliminated collective bargaining …
Scott WalkerAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Scott FitzgeraldRobin VosWisconsin GOPlabor-suppressionalecright-to-workwisconsinunion-busting+2 more
Governor Rick Snyder signs sweeping anti-union legislation making Michigan—the birthplace of the United Auto Workers and a union stronghold—the 24th right-to-work state. The Michigan House and Senate ram through bills HB 4003 (public sector) and HB 4054/SB 116 (private sector) during a lame duck …
Rick SnyderAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Mackinac CenterMichigan GOPKoch brothers+3 morelabor-suppressionalecright-to-workmichiganunion-busting+3 more
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signs right-to-work legislation making Indiana the 23rd state and the first in the Rust Belt manufacturing region to prohibit mandatory union membership or fees as a condition of employment. The bill is sponsored by multiple ALEC members and follows ALEC’s model …
Mitch DanielsAmerican Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Indiana Republican PartyNational Right to Work CommitteeKoch brothers+1 morelabor-suppressionright-to-workalecmodel-legislationstate-capture+3 more
Following the 2010 Tea Party midterm elections that gave Republicans control of 26 state legislatures (gaining 675 state legislative seats), the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) holds its States and Nation Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., December 1-3, with the agenda focused on …
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)Scott FitzgeraldKoch brothersAmericans for ProsperityRepublican Partylabor-suppressionalecright-to-workunion-bustingstate-capture+3 more
Comprehensive organizational analysis reveals Americans for Prosperity (AFP) as the Koch brothers’ primary astroturfing operation, transforming billionaire corporate interests into fake ‘grassroots’ movements. Founded in 2004 when Citizens for a Sound Economy Foundation was …
Americans for ProsperityCharles KochDavid KochKoch IndustriesTea Party movement+1 moreorganizational-profileastroturf-organizingkoch-networktea-partyfake-grassroots+4 more
The Supreme Court rules 5-3 in Communications Workers of America v. Beck that workers covered by union contracts can refuse to pay the portion of dues used for political activities, limiting their payments to collective bargaining costs only. The ruling, based on Taft-Hartley’s Section …
U.S. Supreme CourtCommunications Workers of AmericaHarry BeckNational Right to Work Legal Defense Foundationlaborsupreme-courtunion-duesright-to-workunion-busting+1 more
On January 31, 1985, the Republican-controlled Idaho Legislature overrides Democratic Governor John Evans’ veto to enact so-called “Right-to-Work” legislation, making Idaho the 21st state to prohibit union security agreements that require workers to pay union dues or fees as a …
Idaho Republican PartyIdaho LegislatureGovernor John EvansIdaho Department of LaborMining unions+1 morelabor-suppressionright-to-workanti-unionwage-suppressionlegislative-capture
The AFL-CIO achieves a major victory in its confrontation with the National Right-to-Work Committee’s coordinated efforts to extend right-to-work laws to six additional states through ballot initiatives. Union organizing and voter mobilization efforts result in the defeat of right-to-work …
AFL-CIONational Right to Work CommitteeCalifornia votersOhio votersWashington state voters+3 moreright-to-worklabor-organizingdemocratic-resistancestate-legislationballot-initiatives
The Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly passes a right-to-work bill in March 1957 over the objections of Democrats, labor leaders, and workers, making Indiana one of the first northern industrial states to adopt such legislation. Time Magazine reports in its March 11, 1957 issue that …
Indiana General AssemblyRepublican PartyDemocratic PartyIndiana labor unionsNational Right to Work Committeeright-to-worklabor-suppressionstate-legislationunion-bustingdemocratic-resistance
Fred A. Hartley—co-sponsor of the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act that enabled state right-to-work laws—founds the National Right to Work Committee (NRTWC) as a coordinating organization for corporate anti-union lobbying efforts. The organization brings together “hard-core conservatives, anti-communist …
Fred A. HartleyNational Right to Work CommitteeCorporate fundersConservative donorslabor-suppressionright-to-workanti-union-lobbyingnrtwccorporate-funding
Arkansas and Florida become the first two states to enact “right-to-work” laws on November 7, 1944, following campaigns led by Vance Muse and the Christian American Association that explicitly frame anti-union legislation as essential for maintaining racial segregation and Jim Crow labor …
Vance MuseChristian American AssociationArkansas Farm Bureau FederationSouthern oil companiesWilliam Ruggles+1 moreright-to-worklabor-suppressionstructural-racismanti-semitismjim-crow+1 more