On Feb. 12, the West Virginia legislature voted 18-16 to override Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s vetoes of  a prevailing wage repeal bill and the West Virginia Workplace Freedom Act, making West Virginia the 26th Right to Work state in the country and the fourth state to pass Right to Work since 2012. 

On Feb. 4, the West Virginia Legislature sent two important bills to the governor’s desk. The House of Delegates passed ABC-supported right-to work legislation, the “Workplace Freedom Act” (SB 1) by a vote of 54-46, while the state Senate approved legislation repealing the state’s prevailing wage law along party lines. The measures were intensely debated in both chambers in the weeks leading up to the votes. West Virginia’s prevailing wage law was mired in controversy following the passage of a reform bill in 2015 and ABC’s West Virginia Chapter has been a vocal supporter of repealing the state’s prevailing wage.

West Virginia State Senator Sue Cline (R-Wyoming) was sworn into office on Jan. 25 following a Jan. 22 court decision requiring Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D- W.Va.) to appoint a Republican to fill a vacant seat. Sen. Cline was appointed to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Sen. Daniel Hall (R-Wyoming), who was elected as a Democrat but switched parties prior to resigning.

On March 9, Wisconsin became the 25th state to enact a Right to Work law, allowing all workers in the state to have a job without paying dues or fees to a labor union.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) Feb. 1 signed into law a new right-to-work bill that will protect all workers in the state from being forced to pay union dues as a requirement of employment. Daniels signed the bill hours after it was passed by the Indiana legislature and ABC immediately expressed its support for the action. 

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) Feb. 1 signed into law a new right-to-work bill that will protect all workers in the state from being forced to pay union dues as a requirement of employment. Daniels signed the bill hours after it was passed by the Indiana legislature and ABC immediately expressed its support for the action. 

ABC commended Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) and lawmakers on Dec. 11 after he signed into law a new Right to Work bill that will protect workers in the state from being forced to pay union dues as a requirement of employment.

ABC commended Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) and lawmakers on Dec. 11 after he signed into law a new Right to Work bill that will protect workers in the state from being forced to pay union dues as a requirement of employment.