The controversial bill may face long odds in the Legislature.
Democratic Delegate Lee Carter is working to reverse labor restrictions put in place almost a quarter of a century ago. HB 1806 would repeal the state’s right-to-work law which says employees can’t be forced to join a labor union.
If passed, the bill could force workers in Virginia to become union members and pay union dues as a condition of their employment. But local small business advocates fear that the proposed bill may lead to troubling results.
According to NPR Idea Stations, NFIB’s Virginia State Director Nicole Riley stated, “All of us should have to make a case on whether they want to join our organizations or join a group. It shouldn’t just be a requirement of your job that you have to.”
Virginia Chamber of Commerce president Barry DuVal warned that any changes to prevailing right-to-work laws “may cause existing employers to move facilities to surrounding states with more favorable business climates.”
