Economic Policy Institute, April 22
“Wages in RTW states are 3.1 percent lower than those in non-RTW states, after controlling for a full complement of individual demographic and socioeconomic factors as well as state macroeconomic indicators. This translates into RTW being associated with $1,558 lower annual wages for a typical full-time, full-year worker.”
Senate Pro Tem Tom Dempsey said “he would be placing the controversial Right-to-Work legislation that passed the House earlier this year on the Senate calendar for debate, setting a likely collision course for the bill sometime late this week or early next week.”
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said his Republican colleagues in the General Assembly will have failed if they do not pass a controversial “right-to-work” bill before heading home on May 15…A bill was passed out of the House earlier this session, and another advanced from a Senate committee in the week before lawmakers left town for their Spring Break. But, the bill has not yet been heard by the entire Senate, and Senate President Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, has shown hesitance about the policy in the body where a single lawmaker could stall the bill.
According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the U.S. Department of Labor, Missouri’s average annual state worker pay is $39,993. That puts Missouri last among all states, even though the cost of living is 34th highest in the county. In three of the last six state budgets, state employees received no general salary increase.
“America is demanding a raising wages economy, but that idea is under assault because of a corporate funded plan being pushed by some politicians to take America in the opposite direction with right-to-work.”
Southeast Missourian, Mar. 20: Missouri Senate panel passes 1 bill targeting labor unions
Right-to-work legislation, which would ban contracts that force all workers to pay union fees, was sent on Tuesday to the full Senate. But the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee failed to move forward with what supporters call a “paycheck protection” measure that would require annual written authorization from public employee union members before paying union dues.
St. Louis Public Radio, Feb. 18: Missouri Senate leader on the fence about ‘right to work’
Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, says he has yet to take a position on the “right-to-work’’ bill that is headed to his chamber after passing the House last week. “I’m still looking at it,’’ Dempsey said in an interview.
Associated Press, Feb. 11: Missouri Takes a Step Toward Becoming ‘Right-to-Work’ State
Missouri took a step toward joining 24 other states with right-to-work laws when its House voted Wednesday to bar the collection of fees from workers who choose not to join a union.
The vote of 92 to 66 with two lawmakers voting present, marks an advance for supporters of right-to-work after a similar measure last year had failed to get a constitutional majority of 82 lawmakers in favor and Republican leaders dropped it. House Speaker John Diehl said in a statement the bill would get final approval Thursday.
The measure still faces an uphill climb to become law. It must pass the Senate and then would go to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, who repeated on Wednesday his opposition.
Kansas City Star, Feb. 11: Missouri House gives initial approval to right-to-work bill
Legislation barring construction unions from charging fees to non-union workers won initial approval of the Missouri House Wednesday. The legislation, dubbed right to work, is the most contentious of disputes between management and unions played out in state legislatures across the nation. It still needs one more vote in the House before it would go to the Senate, where it would likely face a filibuster.
St. Louis Public Radio, Feb 9: Missouri House Ready To Take On ‘Right to Work’ Measure
After a contentious hearing Monday night in Jefferson City, the House Select Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations voted 6-2 in favor of legislation – dubbed by backers as “right to work’’ – that would bar employers and unions from requiring all workers in a bargaining unit to pay union dues if a majority vote to organize. The full House is expected to take up the measure – which combines two bills, HB116 and HB569 – later this week.
Associated Press, Feb 3: House panel endorses ‘right to work’ bills
The Missouri House is a step closer to debating a bill forbidding employers from requiring workers to pay dues to a union.
The House Workforce Standards and Development Committee on Wednesday approved three right-to-work bills, marking an early start on a measure that failed to pass the full chamber last year.
The bills need approval from the Select Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations before going to the full House.
KY3, Feb 2: Lawmakers focus on 2 ‘Right to Work‘ bills to limit unions
A Missouri House committee on Wednesday advanced two controversial “right-to-work” bills that aim to restrict labor union activity in Missouri.Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, presented his bill to a House committee this week. It would disallow labor unions from charging non-union members fees for representing them when workers collectively bargain. On Wednesday, a Democrat from St. Louis presented a similar measure that is limited to the construction trade.