Complete Story
11/30/2016
Right to Work Upheld
On Nov. 18, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held that a local municipality, specifically, a county, has the ability to pass its own right to work statute in the absence of a state right to work law.
Kentucky does not have a right to work law, so quite a few Kentucky counties passed their own law.
This was challenged in the courts, but now the Sixth Circuit has said that counties may pass these laws. This could have an impact and many more counties in Kentucky and Ohio may pass similar right to work laws.
From ABC News: "A federal appeals court has upheld a county right-to-work law in Kentucky, clearing the way for the some of the country's first local ordinances banning companies from requiring workers to join a labor union.
The decision by a three judge panel reverses a lower court ruling that overturned the law in Hardin County. The labor unions who sued to block the law say they will ask the full appeals court to reconsider the decision. If that fails, Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan said they would likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Kentucky is the only Southern state without a right-to-work law. Warren County officials say that's a disadvantage when competing for jobs with nearby right-to-work state Tennessee. But labor unions say it would weaken their bargaining power and lead to lower wages and benefits.
The Republican-controlled Kentucky state Senate has tried for years to pass a right-to-work law, only to be blocked by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. But last week, Republicans won a majority in the Kentucky House for the first time since 1920. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has said he expects the new GOP majority to pass a right-to-work, although incoming House Speaker Jeff Hoover has not said what his agenda will be."
