On November 6, 2018, Missouri voters will have the opportunity to reaffirm their support for Right to Work in their state.

Governor Eric Greitens signed Right to Work into law on February 6, 2017, after the House passed the bill on February 2^nd with a 100-59 vote. The Senate had passed the legislation on January 25^th 21-12.

The law was supposed to take effect on August 28, 2017, but was suspended on August 18^th after Missouri labor unions objected. Missouri labor unions purportedly gave more than 300,000 signed petitions to the Secretary of State’s office to put Right to Work on the ballot next November. The law only requires 100,000 valid signatures.

The Missouri Republican Party Chairman Todd Graves, however, says that the union did not explain to those who signed what they were signing:

“Union bosses and Big Labor groups are being dishonest with Missourians about Right to Work, and as a result, we are seeing thousands of people rescind their signature from these anti-right to work petitions.” 

Unions are anxious to stop Right to Work in Missouri after Nissan and Boeing workers rejected union representation.

As Rep. Holly Rehder, a Sikeston Republican, said:

“Union bosses are afraid of giving workers the freedom to decide if a union is right for the worker and are intent on maintaining their power to force workers to unionize in Missouri.”

Governor Greitens and Missouri legislators signed into law and passed Right to Work for two reasons. First, Right to Work protects the First Amendment rights of workers. With Right to Work, workers are given a choice of whether to join a union or not. It’s no longer a job requirement.

The second reason is that Right to Work boosts economic growth. Some companies won’t consider moving a factory to a state that doesn’t have Right to Work.

Missouri’s neighbor, Kentucky, also passed Right to Work statewide this year after 13 counties passed it on the county level in 2014 and 2015. In Warren County alone, Right to Work led to $1 billion in new capital investment. In addition, there were lower unemployment rates for many of the counties. Since Kentucky became a Right-to-Work state, it has seen $7 billion in new investment and thousands of new jobs.

The Center for Worker Freedom, therefore, urges Missouri residents to vote for Right to Work.