Union supporters fight back against Right to Work in West Virginia

Labor groups push back against Right to Work candidates in upcoming election
(PR NewsChannel) / June 21, 2016 / CHARLESTON, W.V. 

Seal_of_West_Virginia.svgWith West Virginia falling to Right to Work earlier this year, labor supporters in the state have vowed to unseat lawmakers who supported the controversial legislation… and they’ve marched through Charleston to show how serious they are.

Late last week, the West Virginia AFL-CIO gathered its members for a demonstration to protest lawmakers who supported the recently enacted law. Most importantly, the protestors were on hand to let legislators know their days are numbered.

It’s a move that has many prominent labor supporters firmly in their corner.

“This is the type of message that all Right to Work states need to send to their legislators,” said Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 in neighboring Ohio. “If representatives have shown support for this devastating agenda, then voters need to show them that there are consequences for voting against the best interests of the middle-class.”

The demonstration comes on the heels of a visit by popular conservative and governor of Indiana, Mike Pence. Gov. Pence headlined a fundraiser for gubernatorial hopeful Bill Cole, who is the president of the state senate and a fellow republican who is campaigning on a far right-wing agenda. One of the pillars of Mr. Cole’s candidacy is his support for the Right to Work law that was recently passed.

Right to Work opponents have long maintained that such laws weaken workers’ rights and will lead to lower salaries, decreased benefits and inferior working conditions.

West Virginia’s law, which was passed earlier this year, made the “Mountain State” the 26th state in the country to adopt Right to Work. The bill passed through the state senate without a single democratic vote.

Dalton, who has spoken up against anti-union leaders across the country, strongly believes that Right to Work laws do more harm than good.

“Supporters have been pushing this radical, right-wing agenda for years. If you look at states that have enacted Right to Work, you will see hard working families are struggling,” says Dalton. “That’s why it’s important to hold politicians’ feet to the fire when it comes to supporting this issue.”

If Cole is elected in West Virginia, he will be the second consecutive republican to live in the governor’s mansion in a state that is growing increasingly red.

For more information on Right to Work in Ohio, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org

Direct link:  https://prnewschannel.com/2016/06/21/union-supporters-fight-back-against-right-to-work-in-west-virginia/

SOURCE:  Keep Ohio's Heritage


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