Senate Refuses to Give Americans the Right to Work

Press Release

Senate Refuses to Give Americans the Right to Work

Legislation would have stopped discrimination against millions of workers who don't want to join unions

Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), made the following statement after the Senate rejected his amendment to reduce workplace discrimination by protecting the free choice of individuals to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities. The vote was 30-67, with all Democrats voting against workers' rights. Senator DeMint offered the "Right to Work" amendment to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay bill currently being considered on the Senate floor.

"It is un-American to force workers to pay dues to union bosses before they are allowed to put food on the table for their families," said Senator DeMint. "Forcing a worker to fund a union that may engage in actions that the worker disagrees with, just to get or keep a job, is grossly unfair. Forced-unionism discriminates against millions of workers who do not want to be part of a union and it's time to stop this terrible policy."

"Removing a federal mandate on states could only violate states' rights in the minds of politicians who have lost touch with our constitutional moorings. The right to work is not about states' rights. It is not about federal rights. It's not about business rights. This is about restoring basic inalienable individual rights. No law, federal or state, should force an American to join a union in order to get a job in this country."

"Forced-unionism is not only discriminatory, it also has a crippling effect on the nation's competitiveness and drags down our economy. Current law shields unions from the accountability of members who are unhappy with union representation. Forced-unionism often leads to counterproductive work rules that prevent hard-working Americans from being as productive as possible, destroying businesses and the jobs they provide."

Nearly 80 percent of Americans agree that compulsory unionism is wrong and should be stopped. A map of the Forced-Unionism and Right to Work states can be found here: http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm.

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