After a brief hiatus, both sides in the battle over “right to work” are back with a vengeance as they gear up for the Missouri General Assembly’s veto session in just over two weeks.
The dueling campaigns may be aimed, in part, at influencing Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Cape Girardeau. A spokesman said the speaker has yet to decide whether to bring up the “right to work” bill, which was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon earlier this summer.
To override the governor, backers need to sway at least 18 Republicans in the state House to switch their opposing votes. The state Senate needs only a couple Republicans to change their minds.
The Missouri arm of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative free-market group, has announced a new TV-ad campaign launching Thursday throughout the state. The group, which is tied to the Koch brothers, has been among the most outspoken supporters of “right to work,” which would bar unions and employers from requiring all workers to pay dues or fees if a majority vote to join a union.
Rachel Payton, the Missouri group’s deputy state director, said in a statement, “ ‘Right to work’ is vital to Missouri's future successes. This legislation is proven to create more high-paying jobs and boost overall economic health in the 25 states that already embrace this great idea…
“You can expect to encounter our TV and radio presence all the way up until the legislature votes on Sept. 16,” she continued. “Our organization has knocked over 70,000 doors, made over 250,000 phone calls, and has had thousands upon thousands sign our petition in favor of this policy.”
Meanwhile, labor groups are countering with their own efforts to block an override. Unions say “right to work’’ actually drives down wages, promotes economic disparity between the wealthy and everyone else, and improperly injects government in the labor-employer relationship.
David Cook, president of the labor coalition called “Preserve Middle-Class Missouri,” said his group has been running TV or radio ads most of the summer. It currently is airing several spots.
“We’ve been up almost non-stop, in some capacity,’’ he said. At least two other union organizations also have been running ads in opposition to “right to work.”
