Missouri Republicans may seek to move vote over ‘right to work’
Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Sikeston, and Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, are considering filing resolutions that could change the date of the “right-to-work” vote to Aug. 7 to coincide with primary elections. The bill filing deadline is Thursday.
The move could have implications for the right-to-work law, which would ban the mandatory collection of union dues in unionized workplaces.
Last year, a right-to-work measure was passed by the Missouri Legislature and signed into law by Republican Gov. Eric Greitens. But the law’s implementation was delayed when labor organizers submitted 300,000 signatures calling for a ballot measure on the issue.
Rehder, a previous sponsor of “right-to-work” legislation, believes Missouri has already voiced its view on the issue by electing Republican Greitens, who campaigned in support of the labor law, over former Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat who campaigned against it.
“I find it disheartening that the unions would spend their time gathering signatures against the (majority of) voters’ wishes, but so be it, they did,” Rehder said. “And so now, I think the sooner we get it over with, the better.”