The Delaware Attorney General’s office has ruled against a Right to Work bill that claims to promote job growth in Sussex county. The Legislation proposed by the county council would have enacted a form of the controversial legislation. The attorney general’s office has ruled that county government does not have the legal authority to enact such a bill.
Proposed by Sussex County Councilman Rob Arlett, also state chair for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, the bill would have seen practices best suited for state-wide use implemented into a single county.
“If the state legislature is not even going to consider a Right to Work law for all of Delaware,” says Arlett. “It is my responsibility to find a path at the county level to pursue job opportunities for my constituents.”
As word of the bill reached state government, the attorney general’s office quickly moved in on the case. Beyond the basic conflict in the county’s legal authority to enact these laws, the effects could destabilize job markets throughout the state. If one county were to move against unions, they would see few benefits and a high risk of industry failure.
“Arlett was warned he did not have the authority, nor did he have the support of his constituents,” said Richard Dalton, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 18 in Ohio. “This is a perfect example of the lengths these politicians will go to make their business connections happy. Delaware citizens have come out on top thanks to a vigilant state government.”
Arlett’s motion to create a Right to Work county is the latest effort of many spanning several years. In 2013, the then-Republican controlled General Assembly pushed to create Right to Work zones in hopes of boosting the state’s manufacturing industry. Legislators believed this would attract new companies who are looking to operate free of union interference. The bill failed to make it out of committee.
Right to Work is a compilation of laws which ultimately decide what power unions have within a state. Under them, union membership and dues payment becomes entirely optional, yet unions are still required to give benefits to every employee. Workers can choose to be non-paying, non-members, but their industry’s union still provides them benefits through collective bargaining and other services.
In theory, Right to Work should be good for workers and employers. However, studies show a rapid slump in job growth which ultimately leads to the crumbling of unions without financial support. Businesses do not invest the money saved on union bargaining back into the company. Without protection, low wages, long hours and subpar working conditions become standard.
“The success seen in Right to Work states is menial compared to what others are achieving,” says Dalton. “As more politicians come around to that fact, we’ll begin to improve our nation’s economy. This is yet another step in the right direction.”
For more information on Right to Work in Ohio, visit: http://protectohiosmiddleclass.org
SOURCE: Keep Ohio's Heritage
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