PHOENIX (April 3, 2024) – In an op-ed for the Arizona Capitol Times, NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich warns Arizona’s private sector workers could face a similar fate to those in Michigan, which recently repealed its worker protections, forcing workers to pay union agency fees regardless of their union-membership status.

As a ballot initiative to reverse Arizona’s right-to-work laws continues to be circulated for the November ballot, Heinrich writes:

“With union membership as an option, not a requirement, Arizona’s current laws allow market forces to play out between unions and employees. Our state’s current right-to-work laws have pushed union bosses to be more conscious of the needs of their members and demonstrate value to non-union workers.

“If this initiative passes, those market forces get thrown out of the window. By moving our state to have union membership as a mandatory part of employment, Arizonans will see fewer jobs, slashed paychecks, and less competition. In fact, according to one estimate, repealing our state’s right-to-work protections would impose anywhere between $15 to $18 billion of additional costs on Arizona companies.”

CLICK HERE to read the full op-ed. Excerpts are below:

Michigan’s Repeal of Worker Protections Is a Cautionary Tale for Arizona

Arizona Capitol Times
By: Chad Heinrich
April 1, 2024

Last month, workers in Michigan faced an unfortunate choice: pay a union boss up to two percent of your paycheck or walk away from your job. […]

The Great Lake State may seem a far distance from the Grand Canyon and Sonoran Desert, but union-driven policy could deal a similar blow to working Arizonans this fall. Michigan’s repeal of worker protections should serve as a cautionary tale for Arizona. […]

For nearly 80 years, Arizona has been a right-to-work state. […] With union membership as an option, not a requirement, Arizona’s current laws allow market forces to play out between unions and employees. […]

If this initiative passes, those market forces get thrown out of the window. By moving our state to have union membership as a mandatory part of employment, Arizonans will see fewer jobs, slashed paychecks, and less competition. In fact, according to one estimate, repealing our state’s right-to-work protections would impose anywhere between $15 to $18 billion of additional costs on Arizona companies.

According to another study, 101,000 Arizonans work at unionized businesses. Should voters support the ballot initiative, those employees would immediately be forced to pay union dues or lose their jobs. […]

Voters should ask themselves, why should a worker have to give up two percent of their paycheck to line the pocket of a Union boss? […]

Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. Many have worked hard to design state policy that attracts talent and investment, making it easier for Main Street to do business and create new employment opportunities for workers.

Voters should protect workers’ choice this Fall and reject efforts to repeal our state’s right-to-work law.