“Right to Work” laws depress wages, increase poverty

It was certainly a lot of laughs watching former House of Representatives Majority Leader Tom DeLay trying to dance on a television competition recently. The show is called Dancing with the Stars, although in his case it might better be called Dancing with the Fallen Stars.

Many of you probably remember DeLay. He was full of bluster as the Majority Leader until his legal problems, including charges of money laundering and criminal violations of state laws, forced him to leave office in 2005. Of course none of this was mentioned on Dancing with the Stars, either before or after one of DeLay's wooden performances, but it turned out that he stepped around the dance floor with far less dexterity than he had when dancing around campaign finance laws.

One of things for which DeLay is best remembered is his comment in 2003 that "unions are a clear and present danger to the security of the United States at home and the safety of our armed forces overseas." Yes, he really said that. And while remarks like these are hardly worrisome when they come from a dance show contestant with two left feet, at the time he said those words Tom DeLay was the highest ranking member of the House of Representatives.

DeLay made these comments on behalf of a fund-raising effort for the National Right to Work Foundation. This organization remains today as the most blatant anti-worker group in the country. It fights for state laws that make it difficult if not impossible for workers to join unions. Statistics from the 22 states that have adopted so-called "right to work" laws show the adverse impact that these statutes have on working families.

To begin with, "right to work" laws depress wages. Repeated studies have revealed that workers in "right to work" states earn less than workers in "non-right to work" states. But you don't have to take our word for it, you can see what the federal government says about "right to work" laws. According to a study released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average worker in a "right to work" state earns more than $8,000 less a year than the average worker in "non-right to work" states.

That's not all. Another study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that Latino union members earn 45 percent more per week that Latino non-union workers. That statistic translates to more than $10,000 per year more in earnings for each Latino union member. The same report showed that African America union members earn 30 percent more in wages than their non-union counterparts. The study also shows that women who are union members earn 30 percent more than women who are not union members.

There's more. "Right to work" laws impact quality of life issues such as poverty, health care, education and worker safety. For example, in "right to work" states, where it is far more difficult for workers to join unions, 21 percent more people are without health insurance, compared with those in free-bargaining states.

And how about this statistic: Studies show that "right to work" states spend almost $2,000 less per elementary and secondary school student than non-right to work states. In addition, the rate of workplace death is 51 percent higher in "right to work" states! That means that if you live in a "right to work" state your chances of dying on the job are far more likely.

Even infant mortality rates are greater in "right to work" states, because so many more women in these states do not have health coverage. The infant mortality rate in "right to work" states is 17% higher than in other states. And the poverty levels in "right to work" states are 20% higher compared to states where workers are not subject to "right to work" laws.

Groups like the National Right to Work Foundation contribute to lower earnings for all workers in America and especially lower earnings for Latinos, African- Americans and women. These groups have helped in the decline of education in the U.S. They contribute to rising poverty levels. They force more families to go without health insurance. Considering all these facts, it is encouraging to know that one of the staunchest supporters of the National Right to Work Foundation, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, has been reduced to wearing gaudy outfits and stepping on his dance partner's feet during a national broadcast.