10 Facts About Right to Work
- So-called “right to work” laws don’t give anyone an actual right to work.
- “Right to work” laws make it harder for you and your co-workers to join a union or to keep the one you might already have.
- “Right to work” laws legally stop unions from collecting dues that pay for your guaranteed rights and representation.
- Without dues, unions collapse — meaning your right to workplace protections disappears.
- Supporters who say these laws prevent “forced unionization” aren’t telling the truth. Under federal law, it is already illegal to force anyone to join a union.
- When unions die under “right to work” laws, corporations and other employers can get away with paying you less and denying you benefits like health care.
- According to federal reports, workers in “right to work” states make roughly $6,000 less per year than workers in other states.
- In “right to work” states, poverty rates are higher for working adults and their children.
- The 12 states that pay workers the highest wages do not have “right to work” laws, including Illinois.
- Unions help raise the standard of living for all workers. “Right to work” laws shift the balance of power away from workers and into the hands of employers.
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