 Illinois may soon be surrounded by states that better protect worker freedom
than Illinois does. That’s bad news for workers and for the state’s economy.
In Illinois, employees in unionized workplaces who don’t want to join the union
have limited options. They can opt out of full union membership and become fair
share payers, but they are still required to pay fees to the union. Most states,
however, are trending toward providing more freedom to workers through
Right-to-Work laws. Right to Work prohibits forcing workers to pay dues or fees
to a union as a condition of keeping their jobs.
The majority of states already have adopted Right-to-Work laws. This includes
almost all of Illinois’ neighbors – i.e., its main competitors for business in
the Midwest – with the exception of Missouri and Kentucky.
right to work
But that soon may change.
With a newly elected Republican governor in Missouri and a now
Republican-controlled House of Representatives in Kentucky, Right-to-Work
reforms in those states are likely.
The Missouri legislature passed Right-to-Work legislation in 2015, but Democrat
Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed the bill. With Nixon term-limited, the November 2016
election provided an opening for Republican Eric Greiten to succeed him. Greiten
has already promised to “fight to improve Missouri’s job climate” with
Right-to-Work legislation.
In Kentucky, Gov. Matt Bevin campaigned in 2014 on a platform calling for
passage of comprehensive Right-to-Work legislation, but a
Democratically-controlled House of Representatives blocked labor reforms.
Republicans took control of the House with the election Nov. 8, making Right to
Work likely in Kentucky.
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 This likelihood that all of Illinois’ neighboring states will
soon provide more freedom to workers does not bode well for
Illinois. Illinois residents are already leaving the state in
droves. Illinois’ out-migration rate is worse than any other state
in the region. What’s more, Illinois has the fastest shrinking
workforce of all surrounding states.
Contrary to union claims that worker freedom kills jobs and state
economies, the evidence shows that states supporting worker freedom
generate stronger economic growth – including among Illinois’ main
competitors for business in the Midwest.
For example, since it enacted a Right-to-Work law in 2012, Michigan
has:
- Michigan’s payroll employment increased by 284,800 jobs (7
percent)
- Private sector wages are up 4.9 percent.
- Unemployment dropped to 4.5 percent from 9 percent (below
the national average)
And according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Michigan experienced
population growth between July 2014 and July 2015.
Those statistics hardly spell a death knell for Michigan’s economy,
despite unions’ warnings against labor reform.
Illinois, on the other hand, was one of only seven states with
population decline between July 2014 and July 2015. Between 2001 and
2011 forced-unionization states, including Illinois, lost 2.1
million jobs. Right-to-Work states, however, added 1.7 million jobs
during that time – even as the Great Recession ravaged much of the
country.
Clearly, Illinois needs labor reform to remain competitive with its
neighbors.
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