Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Cumberland/Franklin) this week stood in support of a legislative package aimed at ending the practice of compulsory unionism in Pennsylvania.

“Make no mistake, I am not against unions, I am just against employees being forced to pay fees even when they opt not to join a union,” said Kauffman. “That is extortion – plain and simple. I think every worker should have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union and pay the associated fees. I commend my colleagues in the House for putting together this legislative package and look forward to it working its way through the legislative process so Pennsylvania can join the more than 20 other states that have already become Right to Work states.”

Designed to protect the individual freedoms of Pennsylvania’s working citizens, schools and the economy by ending the practice of compulsory unionism, legislation for the Pennsylvania Open Workforce Initiative are as follows:  

• HB 50 Freedom of Employment Act -Under this free-standing Right to Work legislation, employment will no longer be conditional upon membership or non-membership in a union, nor upon payment or non-payment of money to a labor organization. The Freedom of Employment Act will also relieve the collective bargaining unit from providing benefits that union members enjoy, such as grievance filing and support, and wage and benefit increases.    
• HB 51 Repeal of Act 84—(School Employee “Agency Shop” Law) - This legislation would return the individual decision of whether or not to join or support a labor union to teachers and other public education employees.  
• HB 52 Repeal of Act 84—(State Employee “Agency Shop” Law) - This legislation will amend the Administrative Code of 1929 to eliminate the authority to impose forced fees on state employees.  
• HB 53 Repeal of Act 15—(Local Employee “Agency Shop” Law) - This Right to Work protection bill would return the individual freedom of choice to all local, municipal, county and township employees to decide for themselves which private organizations they wish to support and preventing the collection of compulsory union dues. 

Kauffman noted that if the legislative packaged is signed into law, Pennsylvania will become the 23rd Right to Work State in the nation.

Rep. Rob Kauffman

89th District

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

(717) 705-2004

Contact: Tricia G. Lehman

(717) 772-9840