Published February 9, 2007

Zaun: Bill threatens Iowa Right to Work law

By BRAD ZAUN
SENATE DISTRICT 32

Senate Democrats have recently introduced legislation to repeal Iowa's Right to Work law. Right to Work guarantees that no worker in Iowa can be forced to join a union, or pay union dues, to get or keep a job.

Under the bill introduced this week - SSB 1120 - workers in union shops who are not union members would be required to pay up or be fired.

The legislation would require employers to deduct union fees from nonmembers' wages to pay for collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the unions. It forces nonunion members to pay union dues.

Make no mistake. No matter how the bill is characterized by its supporters, the legislation is an attempt to repeal Iowa's Right to Work law.

I do not support this bill. I believe Iowa's workers should not be forced to pay for activities they do not wish to support. They should have the freedom to decide whether joining a union is right for them.

Iowans agree. More than 60 percent of Iowans support our state's Right to Work law. They believe workers who are not union members should not be required to pay union dues.

Repealing Right to Work would put Iowa at a competitive disadvantage. Currently, Iowa is one of 22 Right to Work states across the nation.

Many local economic development offices in Iowa highlight Right to Work as one of the advantages of doing business in Iowa. Business relocation consultants say Right to Work is a critical factor in location decisions. Insight Research Corporation, one of the country's dominant competitors in corporate relocation research, reported that 90 percent of their clients looking to expand or relocate will not even consider non-Right to Work States.

In recent years, Iowa has been working very hard to attract jobs and businesses through our economic development initiatives. Repealing Right to Work would have a chilling effect on efforts to grow Iowa's economy.

I am committed to Iowa's Right to Work status and will fight any attempts to gut the law. Right to Work is needed. It gives Iowa's workers a choice, helps attract new jobs and businesses, and drives economic growth in communities across the state.

State Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, represents District 32. The district includes the northwest section of the Drake area, the Beaverdale area, and the Hoover area of Des Moines, plus all of Urbandale in Polk County.