Study finds decrease in wages following passage of Right to Work law

(PR NewsChannel) / October 27, 2016 / INDIANAPOLIS 

statecapitolindianaThe state of Indiana may be regretting its 2012 decision to put Right to Work laws in place. The latest study by the Economic Policy Institute has demonstrated what labor leaders have long maintained: Right to Work laws do not guarantee more work or higher wages.

In fact, the study found that the nationwide decline of unionization over the past 30 years has resulted in lower wages for the country’s nonunion workers. It was also revealed that wages were higher in states without Right to Work legislation on the books.

“By stripping workers of their rights and freedoms, business owners are able to lower wages and take away benefits,” says Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 in neighboring Ohio. “Right to Work legislation has never had workers’ best interests in mind, and now we have the findings to prove it.”

The study shows that Right to Work’s impact was seen most among male workers, with union membership dropping from 34 percent in 1979 to 11 percent in 2013. If the legislation was never implemented, men without college degrees would have earned an average of 8 percent more annually that year.

Additionally, states with union workers have been found to thrive due to benefits the unions offer. Training and apprenticeship programs often produce more highly skilled workers and lead to a stronger and more successful business.

Indiana has had a contentious history with the legislation. In 1957, the state passed its first Right to Work law, which was later repealed in 1965. The latest legislation, passed in 2012, was initially ruled unconstitutional by a lower court judge in 2014, before being upheld by the Indiana Supreme Court later that year.

Dalton, who has been an advocate for labor rights all over the country, believes this study is the start of the next chapter in the long-running Right to Work saga.

“We’re always looking ahead and fighting to maintain worker rights,” says Dalton. “With the study behind us – in addition to years of anecdotal evidence – we have a pretty formidable tool chest at our disposal to help expose the true dangers of this legislation.”

Right to Work laws have been passed in 26 states to date. Labor supporters have long maintained that the legislation hinders worker rights, lowers wages and is ultimately damaging to the middle-class.

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

Direct link:  https://prnewschannel.com/2016/10/27/study-finds-decrease-in-wages-following-passage-of-right-to-work-law/

SOURCE:  Keep Ohio's Heritage


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