Dear colleagues,
As many of you know, quite a few of our constituents have joined us in the debate as to whether or not we will become a Right to Work state. As you and they have heard from many quarters, states that have adopted Right to Work protections for their workers are much more attractive to employers and see significant job growth. Alternately, aside from the union bosses and those listening to their story, most everyone know that states that do not have Right to Work worker protections are at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to recruiting businesses.
This was once again put on display in several media stories this past week. In a USA Today article, there was a story about how German automaker Audi is looking to build a plant in America, and is essentially holding a sweepstakes among states to determine where they will build, and add over 1,000 new jobs.
In the article, one line stood out that relates to the Right to Work debate:
"Union workrules that restrict what jobs a worker can do, and to a lesser degree, union pay and benefits, are cited by car companies, usually in private, as good reasons to avoid organized labor."
The truth of this statement is evidenced by the fact that many carmakers are leaving the Midwest (states that do not have Right to Work protection) and moving South (to Right to Work states). Additionally, many foreign automakers are moving to America – and to Right to Work states.
Right now, New Hampshire is at a severe competitive disadvantage without Right to Work. We should be in the running for Audi’s factory, but can’t because we don’t have a Right to Work law.
It’s not just automakers – it has impacted all manufacturing jobs across New Hampshire. NH Business Review this past week wrote about a national study that found that “New Hampshire lost a higher percentage of blue-collar jobs from its total workforce than any other state in the country.” Here’s the article:
The reality we face is that without Right to Work to begin to attract manufacturers like Audi to come to New Hampshire, we will continue to lose any semblance of a blue collar workforce and we will experience yet another decade as the last in which our young workers – those ages 25 to 34 years – shrink as a proportion of our overall population and in absolute numbers. If we want to have a thriving, robust economy, we need strength across all sectors, and Right to Work is the best way to ensure that. It was hard for us to pass a budget that shrinks state spending so the private sector can grow, but we did so because it was necessary. We need to take this additional step because it is necessary so that new businesses, such as Audi and Boeing will come into New Hampshire.
To re-emphasize this point, I would ask that you consider the words of Tennessee Senator (and former presidential candidate) Lamar Alexander. In giving a weekly Republican Radio Address, he makes a clear case about how Right to Work creates jobs.
Voters know what is clear to economists and any unbiased observers: Right to Work laws are fair and pro-growth. Are we going to show that we also are able to view this issue clearly and not through the prism of individual electoral concerns, misplaced loyalties and threats of retribution?
Thanks for your consideration on this matter.
Sincerely,
William O’Brien
Speaker of the House
