Private sector unions in Missouri were the big winners this past Tuesday as voters resoundingly opposed the state right to work law by a 67 – 33% margin. Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens signed right to work into law almost 18 months ago, but labor groups blocked enactment with a successful petition drive that placed the measure on the statewide ballot. Right to work laws prohibit employees who do not wish to belong to a union from being forced to pay “fair share” fees to unions for representing the non-member workers. Missouri was the 28th state to pass right to work and is now the first to officially repeal it. Unions and other right to work opponents outspent business interests in the campaign by by a better than 3 to 1 margin with state and national unions kicking in a total of over $15 million to defeat right to work. Conversely, the varied business interests that led the effort to support the law raised and spent just over $5 million on the losing effort. It is likely in the wake of this election result that organized labor will now target right to work laws in place in the union-heavy neighboring states of Michigan and Wisconsin.
