Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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8 UCW APRIL 14-20, 2021 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NEWS General Assembly to consider adding 'right-to-work' to N.C. Constitution by ANDREW DUNN e General Assembly will consider a measure to enshrine North Carolina's right-to-work poli- cies in the state constitution. Sens. Carl Ford, R-Rowan, and Jim Burgin, R-Harnett, have introduced a bill — Senate Bill 624 — that would guarantee N.C. workers would not be forced to join a labor union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. Workers also could not be forced to remain apart from a union as a condition of employment. In essence, employees have the right — but not the obligation — to join a labor union. North Carolina has had such a "right-to-work" law in place since 1947, but it could be repealed by a future General Assembly. Putting this language in the state constitution would all but guarantee that North Carolina would remain a right-to-work state for the foreseeable future. Today, 27 states have right-to-work laws, pri- marily in the South and Midwest. In other states, companies and labor unions can enter into con- tracts requiring employees to join the union or at least pay union dues. e National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation estimates that such arrangements, known as a "closed shop" and al- lowed under federal law, siphon off $4.5 billion in employee pay each year. In a recent Civitas poll commissioned by the John Locke Foundation, 71% of likely 2022 voters would support such a constitutional amendment. Only 13% oppose the measure. But getting to a vote might prove a challenge. In North Carolina, pro- posed constitutional amendments must pass with three-fifths majori- ties in both chambers of the General Assembly. is is the same hurdle as a veto override, and Republican leaders have struggled to garner enough votes for their priorities. Only a simple majority of the state's voters is needed to approve the new amendment. Gov. Roy Cooper may also prove an obstacle. In 2018, when the General As- sembly put forward six constitu- tional amendments, Cooper sued to block two of them from going on the ballot. Both would have restricted his power — one on his ability to make judicial appointments, and the other on his con- trol of the State Board of Elections. Both ended up on the ballot, but neither was approved. e other four passed with strong majorities. One of those amendments put a voter ID requirement in the state constitution, but iden- tification is still not required to vote in North Carolina after the courts blocked the law to implement it. Senate Bill 624 would guarantee N.C. workers could not be forced to join a labor union or pay union fees as a condition of employment. (Carolina Journal photo by Maya Reagan). Join Hands... Become a Partner in Child Abuse Prevention! April is Child Abuse Prevention Month Please join hands with us and become a partner in child abuse prevention. To learn how, visit CACFayNC.org. with trade-in with trade-in BEST DEALS FOR EVERYONE Call AT&T sales rep for details. For trade-in instructions visit tradein.att.com/oer-details Limited time oer. All products and services are oered, supplied and performed by AT&T Services, Inc. ("AT&T"). AT&T is not an aliate of or endorsed by Sam's Club. AT&T is solely responsible for the products and services advertised. Sam's Club has no obligation to perform any responsibilities of AT&T, and Sam's Club does not guarantee the performance of AT&T's obligations. iPhone 12 mini ® for as low as Ask how to get the Iv Support Holdings LLC (844) 402-9906 Find out how to get our most popular phones, call now! ANDREW DUNN, Carolina Journal News Service. COMMENTS? editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200.