Business

‘Right-to-Work’ Laws Depress Union and Non-Union Wages

Published

11 years ago

April 28, 2015

Oakland Post

African Americans are also more likely to live in “right-to-work” (RTW) states than non-RTW states. (Stock Image)

By Freddie Allen
NNPA Senior Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Despite what the defenders of “right-to-work” laws claim, those policies offer less protection for employees and depress the wages of non-union and union workers, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute.

The report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a progressive research and advocacy group focused on low- and middle-income workers, said that, “right-to-work (RTW) laws seek to hamstring unions’ ability to help employees bargain with their employers for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.”

In 11 out of the 25 right-to-work states, Blacks account for a higher share of the state population than the national average (13.2 percent). Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. African Americans are also more likely to live in RTW states than non-RTW states.

The EPI report said that Blacks account for 7.1 percent of workers in non-right-to-work states and 14 percent of workers in right to work states, compared to Whites who make up for 70.3 percent of workers in non-RTW states and 62.6 percent of workers in RTW states.

Opponents of right-to-work laws also argue that workers don’t need such laws to protect them from being forced to join unions because that’s already illegal.

In a blog post originally published in the New York Times, EPI senior economist Elise Gould wrote: “Right-to-work goes one step further and entitles employees to the benefits of a union contract – including the right to have the union take up their grievance if their employer abuses them – without paying any of the cost.”

That means that non-union members are entitled to help from unions when they run afoul of employers, even though they don’t support them by paying dues.

As union membership dips to historic lows, economists say that those RTW work laws have contributed to the decline of unions nationwide.

But when employees don’t have to contend with RTW laws, employers find ways to pay more.

“Average hourly wages, the primary variable of interest, are 15.8 percent higher in non-RTW states ($23.93 in non-RTW states versus $20.66 in RTW states),” stated the report.

Workers earn about $1,500 less per year in RTW states compared to non-RTW states and employees.

“It’s abundantly clear that right-to-work laws are negatively correlated with workers’ wages,” said Gould.

And because Blacks lean on unions more to promote wage equality, their paychecks are also more dependent on strong unions.

According to a report on Black union membership by the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California at Berkeley, in the top 10 metropolitan areas, a higher concentration of Black workers participate in unions than Whites (16 percent for Black workers vs. 12.4 percent for White workers).

The report said that workers in non-RTW states are more than twice as likely to be in a union or protected by a union contract.

In an online blog post on collective bargaining Lawrence Mishel, the president of EPI and Lee Saunders, the president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the largest public service employee union in the U.S., said that, collective bargaining helps to reduce wage inequality and benefits the most for the lowest-wage workers.

“And it works to reduce other forms of inequality as well. African-American, Asian, Hispanic and immigrant workers who are union members are more likely to receive equitable pay,” the post read. “It also helps to close the wage gap between men and women.”

Mishel and Saunders wrote that even as Republican presidential primary candidates are positioning themselves as union busters, “growing support for collective bargaining combined with the pressing concerns middle-class voters feel every day when it comes to their wages that haven’t kept up with the cost of living,” should make them reconsider that stance.

EPI research assistant Will Kimball said that policymakers who are concerned by the three-and-a-half decades of wage stagnation that have plagued American workers should be trying to strengthen unions.

Kimball added: “Collective bargaining is a clear way to raise wages, and right to work laws undercut it.”

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OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

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January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

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Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.