WHEREAS, unions are required by law to represent all employees in a bargaining unit, whether they are union members or not; and

WHEREAS, so-called right-to-work laws create a “free-rider” problem that allows workers to receive the benefits of a union contract without paying the cost necessary to secure and enforce those benefits; and

WHEREAS, federal law guarantees no worker can be forced to become a union member or to provide any monetary support to a political or social cause they do not believe in; and

WHEREAS, so-called right-to-work laws are designed to weaken and break unions; and

WHEREAS, unionization has boosted the wages and job security of all workers; and

WHEREAS, the average worker in a so-called right-to-work state makes $5,538 a year less than workers in other states; and

WHEREAS, the poverty rate is 14.8% higher in so-called right-to-work states and nine of the 10 highest poverty states are so-called right-to-work states; and

WHEREAS, so-called right-to-work jeopardizes worker safety, as workplace fatalities are 54.4% higher in so-called right-to-work states; and

WHEREAS, health insurance coverage is 4% lower in so-called right-to-work states; and

WHEREAS, academic research shows that so-called right-to-work laws have no impact on economic growth and no influence on employment; and

WHEREAS, strong unions create a stronger middle class; and

WHEREAS, the share of income going to the middle class, defined as the middle 60% of the population, is below the national average in so-called right-to-work states.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its affiliates educate members, the public and elected officials about the real purpose and effect of these laws; and

FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and its affiliates continue to lobby, work in coalitions and identify supportive politicians to stop all efforts to implement so-called right-to-work laws and roll back those laws that exist.