1. Right to Work in Sandoval County (and beyond)
By Paul Gessing
Rio Grande Foundation

2. Rio Grande Foundation Non-partisan;
Policy research on New Mexico’s economy;
Free market, limited government perspective.

3. What is “Right to Work?”
A Right to Work law guarantees that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or not to join, nor to pay dues to a labor union.
The ordinance being considered in Sandoval County (and other local ordinances) would only apply to private sector workers. State laws regulate all government employees.

5. Right to Work States: The number is growing fast
Right to Work states since 2012:
Indiana;
Michigan,
Wisconsin,
West Virginia (Passed in early 2016, State Supreme Court affirmed in September, 2017),
Kentucky (Adopted statewide in January 2017),
Missouri (Passed in 2017, statewide referendum November 2018).

6. Why is “Right to Work” good?
Workers should have the freedom to choose whether they join unions/pay union dues;
Right to Work states grow faster and have higher living standards than other states;

7. New Mexico’s reputation is that unions are small/weak

8. State
Employment Rate
Growth/
Decline
between
New Mexico
-7.0%
South Dakota
-4.9%
Indiana
0.0%
Wisconsin
0.9%
Michigan
1.0%

9. Area Development Magazine monthly job announcements

10. April 2017

11. Disposable income is greater, so is growth in consumption

12. RTW = More Union Members

13. Can Local Governments Really do Right to Work?

15. In the wake of Kentucky other counties are considering right to work
Sussex County, Delaware;
Lincolnshire Township, Illinois;
Several counties in New Mexico are waiting to see what happens in Sandoval’s case.

16. RTW: Strong Support Across Partisan Lines, even among union supporters

17. New Mexicans Also Strongly Support Right to Work

18. Support is Political and Ethnic Groups

20. Rio Grande Foundation
PO Box 40336
Albuquerque, NM 87196

23. Right to Work and Poverty
State
Census Bureau Supplemental Poverty Rate
Right to Work?
California
20.4 N
Florida
18.8 Y
Louisiana
18.4
Arizona
17.8
Mississippi
16.9
Georgia
16.1
New York
16.0
New Mexico
15.7
New Jersey
15.3
Kentucky
15.0
Y as of 2017

24. Union Coverage, by State, 2016
South Carolina
2.6%
North Carolina
4.1%
Georgia
4.9%
Louisiana
Arkansas
5.0%
Texas
5.3%
Arizona
5.5%
Utah
6.0%
Virginia
Tennessee
6.3%
Oklahoma
6.5%
Idaho
6.7%
North Dakota
6.9%
South Dakota
7.0%
Florida
7.1%
Wyoming
7.3%
Mississippi
8.1%
New Mexico
8.2%

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