Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the defeat of Missouri’s Right-to-Work bill:
Governor Nixon’s veto of right to work legislation in Missouri sends a message loud and clear that working men and women will not sit back while our rights are under attack. We will organize, mobilize, fight back, and win.
I commend the Governor, Missouri AFL-CIO President Mike Louis, and each Republican and Democratic legislator who stood strong against this attack on workers. Right to work is a corporate sham designed to weaken our rights, silence our voice, and line the pockets of the rich and powerful.
Defeating Missouri’s Right to Work bill is another sign that working people are seizing the momentum. Five million union members are negotiating contracts at the bargaining table this year; everyone from peanut shellers to steelworkers are winning organizing drives; and we just introduced new federal legislation – the WAGE Act – to strengthen and protect the rights of all working men and women.
Make no mistake, working people are on the move. We refuse to let the desperate tactics of the corporate right wing – including right to work – stand in our way. We are building better lives and a brighter future for our families and communities.
Contact: Carla Engle (202) 637-5018