Sen. Nieves Wrong on Right to Work

To The Editor:

I recently sent state Sen. Brian Nieves a form letter from Progress Missouri asking him to oppose right to work for less. He replied with a form letter of his own.

In his letter Sen. Nieves expresses his support for “employee freedom.” His description of right to work is a world in which employees that pay union dues receive union benefits and those that don’t pay dues will not receive union benefits.

It worries me when elected officials have such a lack of knowledge or belief in their position they resort to changing the facts to make their positions seem reasonable. It is also insulting that someone thinks their constituents are not smart enough to catch them.

Well, he’s been caught.

1) Under current labor law no one is ever required to be a member of a labor union to maintain their employment. Workers in a unionized facility are required to pay a fee that covers the cost of the bargaining and representation services they receive.

2) Despite his claims of supporting employee freedom and that employees who don’t pay dues don’t receive union benefits — federal labor law doesn’t allow that, and Brian knows it. As a legislator for over a decade and a participant in many meetings discussing right to work for less Sen. Nieves knows full well that RTW for less allows workers to avoid paying for services the union is required to provide under federal law.

I would really like to believe Sen. Nieves is just incompetent and doesn’t understand this issue. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Sen. Nieves is sending out information to his constituents that is false, and he knows it.

His lying demonstrates the weakness of his position and his lack of respect for those he represents.