Morgan Watkins

@morganwatkins26

Republicans in the Kentucky Senate gave controversial “right-to-work” legislation the final approval it needed Saturday as union workers concerned about the proposal chanted outside the chamber.

The right-to-work bill would prohibit requiring workers to join unions or pay union dues as a condition of employment. But opponents the proposal will allow employees who aren’t union members and don’t pay dues to still benefit from union contracts.

The legislation also prohibits public employees from going on strike.

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Conservatives in the legislature have wanted Kentucky to become a right-to-work state for years, and now they’re one signature away from achieving that goal. Gov. Matt Bevin might sign the bill into law, effective immediately, Saturday afternoon.

Republican senators championed the right-to-work bill as a way to draw more businesses and jobs to Kentucky.

Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said it’s time to unleash the commonwealth’s economic potential.

But Sen. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, attacked the proposal and said it was part of an effort to deny fair contracts to the “world-class” workers who enable companies to gain massive profits in Kentucky. She challenged her Republican colleagues to put on a hardhat and some steel-toed boots and go work a shift, tapping her own hardhat for emphasis.

The Senate easily passed the right-to-work bill, which the House approved earlier this week. It also approved legislation that would repeal the state’s prevailing-wage law, which ensures construction workers are paid higher wages for public projects. Proponents of the repeal say prevailing wage requirements drive up the cost of public construction efforts, which hurts taxpayers and limits the number of projects governments can afford to pursue.

As the state’s senators voted on the right-to-work and prevailing wage proposals, hundreds of union workers gathered in the Capitol to voice their opposition. Other workers watched quietly from the gallery in the Senate, occasionally applauding and cheering when a Democrat spoke out against the bills.

They gave Sen. Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, a standing ovation during the prevailing-wage debate when he told his fellow senators, “Shame on people who vote for this bill.”

“You know, skilled labor doesn’t come cheap, and cheap labor doesn’t come skilled,” he said.

But Sen. Brandon Smith, R-Hazard, said the prevailing wage proposal is part of an effort to turn an "open for business" sign on in Kentucky.

Reporter Morgan Watkins can be reached at (502) 875-5136 or mwatkins@courier-journal.com.