Right to Work Within Reach for NH

Granite State Right to Work Supporters Could be on the Verge of Ending Forced Unionism in New Hampshire

Buoyed by progress made on Right to Work over the last several years, opponents of forced unionism are looking forward to their best chance ever at passing a New Hampshire Right to Work law in the upcoming 2021 legislative session.

In the recent November Elections, the forced-unionism issue played a positive role as voters across the Granite State elected pro-Right to Work candidates up and down the ballot — including in the race for Governor, where Right to Work supporter Chris Sununu won re-election with 65% of the vote.

Even better, forced-unionism opponents are potentially in position to pass Right to Work through both houses of the New Hampshire legislature.

Right to Work Support Continues to Grow

In fact, with Republicans now holding majorities in both houses, ending forced unionism in the Granite State is potentially attainable for Right to Work supporters in 2021.

New Hampshire Right to Work supporters have been working to end Big Labor’s stranglehold on workers in the Granite State and the state’s economy for some years now, making steady progress even in the shifting legislative environments.

In fact, even as party control has shifted, the number of anti-Right to Work Republicans has continually dropped.

Steady Course Toward Right to Work Despite Turbulence of Last Several Years

Following the 2018 anti-Trump tide, New Hampshire Right to Work supporters were undaunted by the accompanying shift of majority in both houses of the General Court.

Enthusiasm for ending forced unionism remained high, and Right to Work supporters succeeded in forcing hearings in the House Labor Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, both of which culminated in a floor vote.

Unfortunately, Big-Labor-backed legislators controlled the General Court, so New Hampshire union bosses blocked passage of Right to Work, keeping their grip on workers’ wallets.

But those votes exposed anti-Right to Work politicians, and in this year’s elections, support for Right to Work soared in the legislature.

And with both houses flipping parties and Governor Sununu remaining at the helm, enacting a state Right to Work law in 2021 is a real possibility.

Big Labor Won’t Stand Idly By and Watch its Forced-Dues Empire End

But Right to Work supporters can’t just sit back and count on Governor Sununu and the Republican majorities in the State House and State Senate to automatically enact Right to Work.

“The fact is, the union bosses will go to virtually any length to keep their most cherished privilege.

So freeing the tens of thousands of workers currently forced to pay tribute to union bosses, and New Hampshire’s economy, from Big Labor’s forced-unionism chokehold is going to take an epic political battle,” said McKayne Boedeker, Executive Director of New England Citizens for Right to Work.

Right to Work supporters should have the votes needed to pass Right to Work through the upper chamber, but according to Boedeker, “Opponents of forced unionism can’t afford to let any pro-Right to Work Senators fall prey to the union bosses’ strong-arm tactics or deceptions.”

Opponents of Forced Unionism Must Push Legislators to Do What’s Right

While there’s little margin for error in the Senate, Boedeker cautioned the biggest potential challenges could arise in the 400-member New Hampshire House, where there are more than a few House members sitting on the fence and a number of State House Republicans who have histories of supporting forced unionism.

“Union bosses and their allies in Concord will use procedural tricks, threats, distortions and intimidation to bottle the bill up. That’s why I can’t stress enough, how vital it is that pro- Right to Work Granite Staters act at once to counter Big Labor’s strong-arm tactics,” said Boedeker.

Right to Work supporters will need to do all they can to ensure that pro-Right to Work legislators aren’t cowed into submission by the union bosses.

But Boedeker is confident that following the gains of the last several years, Right to Work can pass in New Hampshire.

“Of course, it will take some doing, but I’m confident Right to Work supporters will rise up and make it clear to legislators that forced unionism’s days are numbered in New Hampshire.”