Right-to-work measure dies in Missouri House

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Applause erupted in Missouri’s House chamber Wednesday as Republican leaders’ goal to make Missouri the 26th “right-to-work” state died when members failed to vote to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto.

The measure, which prohibits companies from requiring union membership or dues as conditions of employment, was pushed through the legislative session in May as Republicans used aggressive tactics. Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed the bill in June, calling it a threat to unionized workers and wages.

As a gallery full of right-to-work opponents looked on Wednesday, House members voted 96-63 in favor of the override, 13 votes short of the 109 needed to override the governor’s veto.

Lawmakers convened Wednesday at the Capitol for the annual veto session, when they have the opportunity to override Nixon’s 18 vetoes. Lawmakers needed a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber 109 in the House and 23 in the Senate to override him.

By Wednesday night, lawmakers had overridden Nixon’s veto on nine bills, including a bill adjusting unemployment compensation and preventing undocumented immigrants from receiving the state’s A-plus scholarships meant to cover tuition and fees at certain community colleges.

House members voted to override Nixon’s veto on a measure barring cities from following in Kansas City and St. Louis’ footsteps by raising their minimum wage, but the Senate had not yet voted as of 9 p.m. CDT Wednesday.

When the Legislature’s veto session convened at noon, House members quickly began working through override votes. But senators waited until about 5 p.m. to take up their first override attempt.

Early in the day, senators elected Republican Ron Richard as the new president pro tem, making him the first person to ever serve as both House speaker and Senate president pro tem. He replaces Tom Dempsey, a Republican, after he resigned this summer and took a job with Gate Way Group, backed by Rex Sinquefield.

The Senate recessed for a few hours. Members returned to the upper chamber shortly after the House’s failure to override Nixon’s right-to-work veto.

When they came back into session, GOP state Sen. Rob Schaaf released a letter he was sending to Nixon that contained 21 senators’ signatures who vowed to oppose any funding appropriations for a new stadium not approved by a vote of the Legislature or the people of the state.

House Republican leaders were unclear on how the right-to-work vote would go Wednesday, but they were able to get a few more votes than during the session, when they passed it 92-66.

In a statement, Nixon applauded lawmakers for sustaining his right-to-work veto, calling it a “victory for workers, families and businesses here in Missouri and across the country.”

Opponents argue the measure would lower wages and lead to a more dangerous work environment for some. Proponents say the measure would help the state attract businesses and therefore increase wages.

“At the end of the day, you’ll create more jobs” by passing the bill into law, said sponsor Rep. Eric Burlison, a Republican.

Currently, workers at a union employer can opt out of paying dues for union membership, but may be required to pay fees for the collective bargaining and other representation services provided by the union.

Under the measure, employees who are not members of the union could not have been forced to pay fees for such union services. Business representatives who violated the measure could have been charged with a class C misdemeanor, which could result in 15 days in jail and a $300 fine.

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