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Senate Leader Comments on
Right-To-Work Legislation
“For the first time in legislative history, a right-to-work bill has advanced out of one chamber in the General Assembly. While this is an enormous accomplishment, I still have doubts of our ability to get right-to-work signed into law.
I have a lot of relationships with people I’ve grown up with and people who I have represented over the last 15 years, and a number of them are union members or are from union families. I’ve worked on a lot of legislation that labor would not have supported, but I thought it was a good issue that needed to be addressed, like the Second Injury Fund or issues we have solved in Workers’ Compensation. Those relationships have never gotten in the way of me doing my job, and they won’t in this case.
I believe that there is a reason for the formation of the unions. There were people back in the 1900’s who exploited workers. Those workers needed a voice, and the unions helped provide the impetus for improving working conditions. But, I also look at the State of Missouri and the competition we face both with other states and internationally to try to lure companies to Missouri, keep those companies, and help Missouri grow. There are projects that I believe Missouri has lost out on because we are not a right-to-work state.
I look at this issue from a couple of different directions: one as the senator from the 23rd District; one as the President of the Senate; and one as a Republican head of the Senate. As far as Tom Dempsey, the senator from the 23rd District, I have not decided how I will vote on right-to-work. As one of the Republican leaders of the Senate, I know Republicans who represent the entire outstate Missouri and are very supportive of right-to-work. I have not been someone who has been an unabashed supporter of right-to-work. I know this issue is important to them. It’s a tough one for me, but I won’t use my position to block something other members care about. As far as the Senate President position, I will send the bill to the Committee on Small Business, Industry and Insurance. The committee will consider the measure and possibly move it forward, and then ultimately, I will be willing to place it on the calendar for consideration by the body on the floor of the Senate. I’m committed to doing both of those things.
The House vote, while significant, was short of receiving enough votes to overturn a possible veto. I have said in the past, and I still believe, that until a new governor is elected, sending right-to-work to the ballot is the only way for it to become law. The governor has repeatedly said he will veto this bill.
There are a lot of important measures we want to get done this year, like the student transfer bill that we’re working on this week. Right-to-work is still an important issue that is moving through the Missouri Legislature, and it will receive its due consideration.”
Senate Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles
23rd District
To view Sen. Dempsey’s interview from Feb. 17, 2015, on the right-to-work issue, please click here (Clip 1; Clip 2; and Clip 3), or visit www.senate.mo.gov/dempsey and click on the “Multimedia” link under the “Media” tab at the top of the page.
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