JuridicsUSA: Labor: Curbing the reach of unions to impinge the freedom of association / nonassociation

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Wall Street Journal (May9,2k11) via Workforce (SmartBrief) May9,2k11)

Bills Try to Curb 

Reach of Unions

by Kris Maher and Amy Merrick

Lawmakers in New Hampshire and Missouri are advancing so-called right-to-work bills that would allow private-sector workers to opt out of joining unions, the latest such efforts to curb labor unions in the legislative season that in many states is now entering the home stretch. 

The measures, if successful, would mark the first expansion in a decade of right-to-work laws, which are on the books in 22 states.

Lawmakers in New Hampshire, where Republicans took control of both chambers last fall, passed a right-to-work measure last week. Its success will hinge on whether the state House of Representatives has enough votes to override a promised veto by Democratic Gov. John Lynch. If the bill passes, New Hampshire would become the first right-to-work state in the Northeast, historically a union stronghold.

In Missouri, the sponsor of a state Senate right-to-work bill is trying to shape a compromise in the final days of the legislative session.

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JuridicsUSA: Labor: States r+ts and r+t to work legislation target of NLRB suit

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On Apr21,2k11, the National Labor Relations Board, a Federal USA agency,  brawt suit on behalf of the International Association of Machinists (District 751) based in Seattle, Washington, the largest union at Boeing Companies's facilities of manufacture and assembly in the Puget Sound area.  Perhaps the leading product there was the old-line of 787 Boeing airliners.  See:  NLRB suit against Boeing asks return of state jobs, Seattle Times via Wenatchee World.

A week later, the headlines read States blast NRLB suit (Post and Courier, Charleston SC).  The nine states involved, led by South Carolina, all have what is called "r+t to work" laws (a total of 22 out of 50 USA states have such laws), this legislation stipulating that no one may be denied employment becawz of refusal to join a union.  This r+t  is recognized internationally by the UN Declaration of Human R+ts where freedom of association and, the corollary, freedom of non-association are guaranteed. 

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