Assault on Right-to-Work, Round Two

Democrats are once again renewing their assault on Iowa’s status as a right-to-work state by reviving the so called “fair share” issue that died in the 2007 legislative session. That bill passed the Senate but was never considered in the House after it became clear that Democrats didn’t have the votes to pass it. This week, Governor Culver appears ready to file an executive branch bill in an effort to change the law. Word on the street is that he’s already talked to the unions and had his team do the research and write the bill. They’re just waiting to file it.

According to reports, this bill will apply to all employees in a union shop both public and private, and will actually include a repeal of part of Iowa’s right-to-work law. According to a poll by the respected Research 2000 firm, Iowans support right-to-work by 78%. And according to the Des Moines Register, only about 10-12% of Iowa workers are in a union.

Proponents of “fair share” make the claim that if a union negotiates with an employer for wages and benefits for all employees then it is only fair that all employees get charged for this service, even those that don’t belong to the union. This is a red herring and unions are not, in fact, forced to negotiate for all employees, they must only do so when they become the “exclusive bargaining unit.” This status must be applied for and is not required. Almost all unions choose to apply for exclusive status because of the advantage it gives them at the bargaining table. Thus they are only required to represent all employees in return for this advantage, which is really only fair.

This latest effort is a bold attempt at forced unionization and an outright repeal of right-to-work. If Democrats succeed in this effort they will be able to use dues from non-union members to pursue their legislative agenda. The result will be an increase in the already undue influence over elected officials wielded by union organizers. This will also be a huge turn-off for potential employers looking to set up shop in Iowa and that is the last thing the state needs right now.