Missouri lawmakers should stand up for workers and uphold Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of anti-union bill

Gov. Jay Nixon has protected the rights of Missouri workers by vetoing the so-called “right to work” bill.

With his action, Nixon on Thursday rejected the self-interests of big businesses — many of them located out of state — that want to strip unions of their clout to lobby for reasonable wages and benefits.

The bill would have prohibited unions from collecting fees from nonmembers to help cover the costs of collective bargaining that, as union supporters correctly point out, helps all workers.

The governor’s veto message summed up several problems with right-to-work laws, saying they “create a less-skilled workforce, drive down wages and directly interfere with a business owner’s right to contract.”

The General Assembly should uphold Nixon’s veto when it returns in September. Fortunately, neither the Senate nor the House approved the right-to-work bill with sufficient numbers to override him.

Still, expect many powerful corporate leaders to mount pressure on the Republican-controlled legislature to unify around one of the party’s prime goals — bashing unions. September’s vote could be tight.

Make no mistake: Too many GOP lawmakers engaged in an assault on workers’ rights based on a faulty premise during the recently ended regular session, which turned out to be an unproductive mess at the end because of rancor over this bill.

Republican legislators argued that a right-to-work law would lure new businesses to the state. The evidence they offered, however, was not compelling. Some states with right-to-work rules are doing well in the current economy; others aren’t.

Democrats — and a few right-minded GOP supporters of keeping the status quo — noted that the law was a bald-faced attempt to cripple unions by reducing their ability to represent workers. Without that power, unions become less influential, and so do workers, in bargaining with employers.

Despite the scare tactics already being spread by Republicans, economic development in Missouri will not suffer if Nixon’s veto is upheld.

This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Missouri lawmakers should stand up for workers and uphold Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of anti-union bill."