by CLAY FREE PRESS
Workers from Oklahoma and Virginia visited Charleston today to talk about how so-called “Right to Work” laws hurt economies, lower wages, impair worker safety and eliminate jobs.
“We’ve presented countless facts and figures which show that a Right to Work law does nothing to help West Virginia’s economy, and instead would be harmful to West Virginia working families, but the rhetoric from the other side has been strong,” West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue said. “We thought it was time West Virginians hear from working people who have experienced the damage Right to Work causes.”
Jesse Isbell of Oklahoma City lost his job of 36 years with Bridgestone Tire Plant, five years after the state of Oklahoma passed a Right to Work law.
“In my case, and in the case of my 1,400 co-workers, the law did not serve as advertised,” Isbell said. “The company made the decision to outsource our jobs even though proponents of the Right to Work legislation claimed it would prevent such departures and even attract new businesses.
“There is absolutely no evidence that Right to Work has benefitted Oklahoma’s economy in any way – the truth is it has driven down wages.”
