It’s unfortunate The Columbian chose to parrot the view of the National Right to Work Committee, headquartered outside Washington, D.C., with the March 5 editorial “Right to work = freedom.” Make no mistake — this issue has little to do with granting “choice” to workers. It’s part of a national program funded by corporations ($10 million to $14 million per year) to weaken unions and thereby weaken the ability of workers to negotiate fair wages and benefits. Wages in this country have been relatively flat for the past 10 years and that problem could be alleviated by granting unions more tools to negotiate effectively — not fewer.
Federal law requires that a union represent all workers, not just those who pay dues. Unions provide a system of industrial jurisprudence when a worker is treated unfairly. There are costs associated with processing workplace complaints, arbitration and legal fees.
I pay taxes in Clark County to support the fire district, roads, schools and library. Why not give me the right to opt out of paying these levies while still guaranteeing me the right to drive on the roads, call the fire department or to check out a book? That’s absurd. We should all contribute to services essential to the larger community. That’s what unions do when they negotiate a requirement that all who benefit from collective bargaining should help pay for it.
R. Denny Scott
Brush Prairie
