KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On August 7, Missouri voters will decide if the state should be a "Right to Work," state.
A week before the election, volunteers are making calls urging people to "Vote No" on Proposition A.
Missouri lawmakers voted to make the state Right to Work. Right to Work means unions cannot force employees to join and pay dues. After much debate, it is now up to voters to decide.
“I like it because as a woman, I am guaranteed the same pay as everyone else,” said Natalie Moses.
Natalie Moses is a union member for Local 124. She wants people to vote "no."
There's been a lot of advertisement in the "Vote No" campaign. The ad claims people living in the 27 Right to Work states make "on average nearly $9,000 less."
Using the same data cited in the ad from the US Census Bureau — that claim is misleading.
In states like Kansas, the average income is $2,000 less than Missouri and in Iowa, the average income is higher than Missouri.
In states like Alabama and Florida, Missourians do make more.
Mathew Panik is with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. They want people to vote yes on Proposition A.
“We have seen, in states like Wisconsin and Michigan, after they became Right to Work, the union memberships have gone up and down, but in the last couple years, the union membership has ticked up in those states. It’s not as if Proposition A passes in Missouri, unions go away,” said Panik.
Moses said, while unions still exist in right to work states, they don’t have the same negotiating power.
“In Kansas, IBW wages are like $10 less per hour. So, yes, the union is still there but I don't know how much of an impact it has,” said Moses.
Those with the Missouri Chamber said it has prevented Missouri from bringing in new jobs.
“It gives workers the freedom to choose to be in a union and pay dues,” said Moses.
