Every person in this country has a right to work, in that they should not be barred from a profession if they choose not to join a union and pay union dues. Michigan governor Rick Snyder has just signed into law “right to work” legislation, and now Michigan is the twenty-fourth “right to work” state. He did the right thing. He refused to let unions intimidate him, his legislature, or the residents of his state. Now individuals will have the choice whether to join a union or not, and their choice will not prevent them from getting a job.
“Right to work” laws will also help the growing Hispanic community in this country. A British-born classical liberal and affiliate of the Austrian Economists, William Hutt studied unions and their consequences, both good and bad. In his work “The Theory of Collective Bargaining”, Hutt noticed that unions in many countries, like South Africa, discriminated against minorities and kept them out of work.
Union strikes distort the markets, they frustrate trade among consumers and businesses, and they depress wages for other workers. Union actions hurt the public, the private businesses, and the individual consumer. Unions are entering into a long decline, from Wisconsin to Indiana and now Michigan.
If the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento wants to improve the opportunities of all Californians, they should also propose “right to work” legislation. This reform will invite businesses back to California, create more jobs, increase wages, and raise the standard of living for everyone.
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