If Right-to-Work is the answer, are we even asking the right question?

David Watson

Libertarian Candidate for 6th District State Representative

Perhaps the problem with the argument both for and against right to work is simply that many people seem to think that the government should be involved in this personal decision. If a person chooses to join a union, great! If a person chooses to not join the union, great! If a union and a business have a contract to only hire union workers, or a certain percentage of union workers, that’s great, too. That is between the company, the union, and the employees. The only justification for the involvement of government is as a neutral arbitrator in case of a dispute. If a company decides to not hire union labor, the union is free to protest, but the company shouldn’t be forced to do so.

The nice thing about union labor, is that it typically comes pre-screened, making the search for skilled employees much easier. The not-so-nice thing is that union employees are more expensive, sometimes prohibitively so.

The nice thing about non-union labor, is that it typically costs less. The not-so-nice thing is that companies have to spend more time and money searching for skilled employees. Also, employees may not have a method to redress grievances or safety concerns with their employers.

Why do we need to make this more complicated? Every government program or initiative comes with layers of bureaucracy, waste, fraud, and abuse in varying degrees. We’ve seen the results of right-to-work going bad in some places, and forced union membership being instituted in others. Workers on both sides of the argument come to their side of the issue in good conscience. Where they are both wrong in their proposed solutions is this: Government does not need to be involved in deciding whether people can join a union or not, and it should definitely not impose that decision by force of law.

We should not be looking to the government to solve all of the inequities in our lives. As Ronald Reagan was fond of saying, “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my perspective on the issues. My name is David Watson and I humbly ask for your vote and support in the 6th District race for your Representative to the Kentucky House on November 8th.