The state office of the National
Federation of Independent Business today applauded the Legislature for passing
two bills that are a big deal for working families and small, family-run
businesses.
The House passed an amendment version of Senate Bill 1, legislation guaranteeing
West Virginia’s the right to work without having to join a union or give up
part of their paycheck to pay union dues. If the Senate approves the House amendment, the bill will be sent to the governor.
The Senate, meanwhile, signed off on House Bill 4005, a bill
calling for a ban on state government telling private contractors how much to
pay their employees when working on public projects.
NFIB/West Virginia is urging Governor Tomblin to sign both
bills into law.
“SB1 and HB4005 are absolutely critical in terms of
keeping West Virginia competitive in terms of attracting–and
keeping–good-paying jobs,” said Gil White, state director of NFIB/West
Virginia, the state’s leading small-business association.
Right-to-work (SB1)
“Right-to-work is one of the most important issues
facing us right now,” White said. “If we’re serious about staying
competitive and attracting and keeping jobs, we need to become a right-to-work
state.
“Some people say right-to-work is anti-union, but that’s
simply not true. If you want to join a union, you’re free to join a union. What
right-to-work means is that you don’t have to join a union in order to get a
job and support your family. By the same token, right-to-work means you can’t
be fired for joining a union.
“Right-to-work means exactly what it says: You have a right
to work.
“Becoming a right-to-work state would immediately make us
more competitive regionally and nationally. Employers look at a state’s
right-to-work status when deciding where to locate or expand. Becoming a
right-to-work state, and becoming more competitive, would create more
opportunities for small, family businesses.”
Prevailing wage (HB4005)
White said it’s also time for West Virginia to repeal West
Virginia’s prevailing law.
“Signing HB4005 into law would be the next step toward
assuring fair and open competition on publicly funded construction
projects,” he said.
“West Virginia’s current prevailing wage law acts as a
‘super minimum wage’ that allows government bureaucrats to set wages that are
often much higher than local construction wages determined by fair competition
in the free market,” White said. “That isn’t fair to the taxpayers
who, ultimately, wind up paying these inflated wages.
“At a time when the legislature will need to maximize
every tax dollar they collect, this legislation that will save tax dollars, and
end a practice that often shuts out small and minority contractors from
participating in the bidding process for local projects,” he said.
NFIB/West Virginia’s 2,000 dues-paying members represent a
cross section of the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.NFIB.com/WV or follow @NFIB_WV on
Twitter.
