Talking Points
Equip Yourself with the Facts to Keep Virginia Working and Competitive
Virginia's Right-to-Work laws protect worker freedom and economic competitiveness. Whether you're talking to legislators, community members, business owners, or workers, these talking points equip you with the facts and arguments to make a compelling case for Right-to-Work. They can serve as a resource as you talk about the importance of Right-to-Work in your community. Use these resources to advocate effectively for keeping Virginia working and competitive.
Right-to-Work protects employees’ freedom to choose whether or not to join a union, or pay dues, as a condition of employment.
- Workers should have the freedom to decide for themselves if joining a union is best for them.
- Younger and low-income workers have the least flexibility in their monthly budgets to account for lost income going to union dues.
- Joining a union may be the right decision for some employees. However, workers should have the freedom to make that decision for themselves.
Right-to-Work is essential to maintaining Virginia’s economic competitiveness in attracting and retaining businesses.
- Repealing Right-to-Work will make Virginia less competitive in attracting development and investment – particularly compared with states to the south such as North Carolina, Georgia and Texas, all of whom are RTW states.
- Virginia has regularly been ranked among the top states for business and RTW is an important part of that success.
- Repealing Right-to-Work will increase costs for existing businesses and make them less likely to increase investments and hire new employees in Virginia.
Repealing Right-to-Work would disproportionately harm Virginia’s small businesses.
- Small businesses are the most sensitive to cost increases and many are already struggling with economic uncertainty.
- A loss of Right-to-Work could undermine the unique benefit structures and culture that small businesses provide to their employees.
- Employers of union workers are often unable to make special accommodations for employees who need flexibility in their hours or benefits.
- Small businesses are particularly vulnerable because they often lack the expertise and experience negotiating with organized labor and do not have the infrastructure to deal with issues if a union is established.
- These businesses would be forced to increase costs for the infrastructure needed to deal with grievance procedures and other elements of a union.
Repealing Right-to-Work would increase costs forVirginians in a variety of ways, including housing, food and transportation.
- By increasing the costs of doing business, repealing RTW will increase the prices consumers pay for groceries, home maintenance services, dining out, hotels, and other goods and services.
- With inflation and other economic pressures, Virginians cannot afford to continue seeing the costs of everyday goods and services increase.
- Repealing Right-to-Work will increase the costs of priorities such as affordable housing units, transportation construction and public education.
Unions can serve a valuable purpose and Right-to-Work does not stand in the way of unions playing an important role in Virginia.
- Individuals should have the freedom to determine whether joining a union is the right choice for them.
- Unions can offer training programs, workforce development and other benefits to employees, and workers should have access to these opportunities if they choose to do so.
- Union membership in Virginia has climbed in recent years, indicating that unions can grow with RTW in place.
