Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced S. 204 Thursday, a bill to create a national right-to-work law. The bill “would preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.” In other words, the law would give workers across the nation the option to not join a union or pay dues to one even if their workplace was organized. Currently only 24 states allow workers to do that.
The bill has 10 Republican co-sponsors. They are clearly hoping to build on the momentum of Michigan and Indiana recently becoming right-to-work.
In a statement emailed to reporters, Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, said: “We’re extremely pleased that Senator Paul has introduced the National Right to Work Act, intensifying a growing debate about labor law and worker freedom in our country.”
But several similar bills have been introduced in Congress in recent years and have gained no traction. Paul’s bill is unlikely to get anywhere under Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Which is ironic since Reid’s home state of Nevada is itself right-to-work.
