Arkansas | The National Right to Work Committee®

Republicans and Democrats on The NLRB Boeing Ruling

On June 2, 2011, By NRTW Committee Staff

The National Review’s Andrew Stiles looks at the battle between the NLRB and elected officials and most interestingly points out that Democrats, elected from Right to Work states, have for the most part, refused to stand for the interests of their constituents.

– A group of GOP senators drafted legislation not only to head off the NLRB’s pending action against Boeing but also to prevent any similar attempts against other companies in the future. But the bill quickly stalled when it became clear that not one of the eleven Senate Democrats representing right-to-work states was willing to stand up to the White House and Big Labor by signing on as cosponsors. Not even Sens. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.) and Bill Nelson (D., Fla.), two moderates from right-to-work states facing tough reelection battles next year, would stick up for their states.

– Meanwhile, of the 22 governors in right-to-work states, only two are Democrats. One of them, Mike Beebe of Arkansas, has expressed concern that the NLRB ruling could be “detrimental” to his state’s economic-development efforts. (more…)

“Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm Makes the Case for Right to Work Laws”

On May 3, 2011, By NRTW Committee Staff

Matt Mayer of the Buckeye Institute debunks the long-term economic growth without Right To Work freedom is sustainable. Mayer uses a Columbus Dispatch reporter Joe Hatlett column that featured Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to expose the fact that corporate welfare and reduced regulations ignore the “proverbial elephant in the room weighing down” compulsory union states like Indiana, Ohio, Illinois,, and Michigan.

From Matt Mayer’s post:

“With Michigan bleeding jobs and tax revenues, Granholm said she followed the corporate playbook in her attempt to close a huge state budget deficit and make Michigan more competitive. ‘In listening to the business community, I cut takes [sic] 99 times, and I ended shrinking government more than any state in the nation. In my two terms, I cut more by far than any state in the nation. And yet, we still have the highest unemployment rate.

There was no correlation.’ Granholm conceded that streamlining business regulations and lowering taxes — Kasich’s economic recovery mantra — are helpful, but they aren’t a panacea…[l]abor costs, help with start-up costs and proximity to markets are other factors.”

Hallett and Governor Granholm fail to mention why streamlining regulations and lowering taxes aren’t helping the northern states (located within 50 percent of the U.S. population and with low start-up costs) compete against the southern and western states. Instead, Hallett ignores the obvious answer and pleads for an end to corporate pork (with which we enthusiastically agree).

The reason Michigan and Ohio can’t compete is that the southern and western states already have fewer regulations and lower taxes, so “catching up” with those states still leaves the proverbial elephant in the room weighing down the northern states. Plus, those states are also pushing for lower taxes and fewer regulations, so the northern states are perpetually behind them. The elephant, which Governor Granholm does hint at, is labor costs, or, more specifically, unionized labor costs (see: General Motors and the United Auto Workers).

As I noted in Six Principles for Fixing Ohio, “Of course, tax and regulatory burdens also impact a state’s economy. Although many of the forced unionization states have heavy tax burdens and many of the worker freedom states have light tax burdens, some heavily taxed worker freedom states (Idaho, Nevada, and Utah) had the strongest sustained job growth from 1990 to today.

Similarly, a few moderately taxed forced unionization states still had weak job growth (Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri). The combination of both a heavy tax burden and forced unionization is deadly when it comes to job growth, as 11 of the 15 worst performing states are ranked in the top 20 for high tax burdens.” If Ohio and the other states from Missouri to Maine want to truly compete with Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, then those states need to enact laws that protect the rights of workers not to join a labor union to get a job. (more…)

Tagged with: Arizona • Buckeye Institute • Columbus Dispatch • Florida • General Motors • GM • Illinois • Indiana • Jennifer Granholm • Joe Hatlett • John Kasich • Matt Mayer • Michigan • Missouri • Mitch Daniels • Nevada • Ohio • UAW • United Auto Workers
Posted in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Economic Development in RTW States, Economic Impact of Unionization, Economics, Florida, Forced Dues, Forced-Dues for Politics, Georgia, Government Grants to Unions, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, NLRB, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Public Employees, Rhode Island, Right to Work, Right To Work States, South Carolina, South Dakota, State Right To Work, State RTW, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Right to Work States Perform Better

On December 18, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Mark Perry looks at the economic performance of Right to Work states in comparison to forced unionism states and provides further evidence that Right to Work states foster prosperity. In the economic downturn year of 2009, forced unionism states economic growth fell by 2.42% but in Right to Work states, it only decreased 1.66%.

As Perry states, “In other words, the decline in economic growth growth in forced unionism states (-2.42%) was 0.76% worse in 2009 than the decline in right-to-work states (-1.66%). Further, of the ten states that experienced positive growth in 2009, only two were forced unionism states (Alaska and W. Virginia) and eight were right-to-work states (Nebraska, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Virginia, Oklahoma and Wyoming). The three top states with the highest growth in 2009 were all right-to-work states: Oklahoma (6.6%), Wyoming (5.4%) and North Dakota (3.9%). “

Tagged with: Mark Perry
Posted in: Alaska, Arkansas, Economic Development in RTW States, Economic Impact of Unionization, Economics, Government Grants to Unions, Legislation, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Right to Work, South Dakota, State RTW, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

You Can Say That Again

On February 22, 2010, By Post

The Arkansas News recognizes that the President’s nomination of Craig Becker is a “bad pick.”

Tagged with: AFL-CIO • Craig Becker • NLRB • NLRB Nominations • SEIU
Posted in: Arkansas, SEIU

Harkin's Threat

On May 20, 2009, By Post

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is threatening to move the Card Check Forced Unionism bill to the Senate floor as introduced unless a some other forced unionism scheme is worked out. Frankly, an up-or-down vote on the Harkin bill would be a great opportunity for workers to see what Senators truly believe in forced unionism. Senators would not have any fig leaf to hide behind.

Sens. Arlen Specter (D-PA), Jim Webb (D-VA), Mark Pryor (D-AK) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) are participating in preliminary talks to find a “compromise.” Seems like a great list of Senators to contact to voice your objections to any and all versions of the Card Check Forced Unionism bill. Add Senators Warner (VA), Landrieu (LA), Lincoln-Lambert (AK), Snowe (ME), Collins (ME) Nelson (NE), Conrad (ND), Johnson (SD), Dorgan (ND) and Reid (NV) to that list as well. Senators can be reached by calling the Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Tagged with: Card Check
Posted in: Arkansas, Card Check, Iowa, Legislation, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota

Card Check Compromise "Fool's Errand" But we have been "fooled" before!

On May 12, 2009, By Post

Sen. Ben Nelson seems to get the Card Check quandary:

You might think that statement would come from a Republican, but it’s actually from a Democrat.

Reports that there might be a deal near on the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), or “card check,” as critics and now some proponents call it, appear to be vastly overwritten.

Sen Tom Harkin, D-IA, a lead negotiator, is in talks with the Senate’s newest Democrat, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, but there are MANY more pieces to this complicated puzzle, namely a number of other Dems who do not want this. Harkin and Specter have known each other for decades, so it is natural they would work together, but Harkin has a heavy lift to get a deal out of this Senate.

Sen Ben Nelson, D-NE, told me he does not see a deal happening this year at all. He sees no way to put a compromise together that’s pallatable.

“You take away the arbitration issue, and you still have the ‘card check’, so that doesn’t work. You take away the ‘card check’ and you still have the arbitration problem. And if both go away, you’re left with nothing. It’s a fool’s errand to do this. I just don’t see an agreement happening,” Nelson said.

Harkin must please a number of skeptical Dem colleagues in the Senate, among them, Dianne Feinstein (CA), Jim Webb (VA), Blanche Lincoln (AR), Mark Warner (VA), and Mike Bennet (CO).

One of them, who asked to remain anonymous because of the intense lobbying campaign underway by big Labor, tells Fox, “You cannot find a way to make this work. I’ve heard all the arguments, and I just don’t see it.”

Still, Harkin said he’s trying. He has Labor and a number of business concerns in the loop and is working hard to find a compromise.

However, a senior Senate Dem Appropriations Cmte aide tells Fox, “This isn’t happening anytime soon, if it even happens.” And this aide works for a Dem who supports EFCA.

“Card Check” is a top priority for labor unions this year. It is a bill that would make it easire for workplaces to unionize. Under the legislation, workers would sign cards rather than by voting in secret ballot elections to start a union. The provision also calls for mandatory arbitration to set the terms of the first contract if companies and unions can’t agree within 120 days.

The whole meaning of this confusing talk is clear! Keep the pressure on these Senators. It is the only thing that is holding this forced unionism monster down at this point.

Tagged with: Card Check
Posted in: Arkansas, California, Card Check, Colorado, Economics, Iowa, Legislation, Obama Administration, Virginia

Union Boss Against Card Check Scam?

On March 16, 2009, By Linda Staulcup

The City Wire reports that Neal Catlett, a former union boss at the Whirlpool plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas, opposes the Card Check Scam Bill.

“I strongly support secret ballots. Period. It doesn’t matter at what level, whether it is voting for a union or the president or your congressman,” Catlett said. “Your ideas should be personal as to if you want a union or don’t want a union.”

Tagged with: Card Check
Posted in: Arkansas, Card Check

Keep Firing

On January 13, 2009, By Linda Staulcup

Kimberly Strassel at the Wall Street Journal believes your activism is playing a role in raising the stakes in the battle over the Card Check Forced Unionism Bill. This is a call to double the pressure on Senators to defeat this atrocity, which is designed simply to impose forced unionism on millions of workers.

Strassel writes:

Responsibility has a way of focusing the mind.

Take Mark Pryor, Democratic senator from Arkansas. In 2007, Mr. Pryor voted to move card check, Big Labor’s No. 1 priority. And why not? Mr. Pryor knew the GOP would block the bill, which gets rid of secret ballots in union elections. Besides, his support helped guarantee labor wouldn’t field a challenger to him in the primary.

Postelection, Mr. Pryor isn’t so committed. He’s indicated he wouldn’t co-sponsor the legislation again. He says he’d like to find common ground between labor and business. He is telling people the bill isn’t on a Senate fast-track, anyway. His business community, which has nimbly whipped up anti-card-check sentiment across his right-to-work state, is getting a more polite hearing.

But Pryor may not be alone:

Fellow Arkansas Democrat Blanche Lincoln voted for cloture in 2007 but is now messaging Mr. Reid [Majority Leader Harry Reid] that she’s not eager for a repeat. She recently said she doesn’t think “there is a need for this legislation right now,” that the country has bigger problems. . . . Even Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter, the lone GOP vote for card check in 2007, is backpedaling, worried about a 2010 primary challenge.

We have one word of advice — don’t let up for one second. The union bosses will stop at nothing to coerce millions into unions. There will be a defining moment in this fight and we have yet to have it.