INCOMES ARE LOWER IN
RIGHT-TO-WORK STATES
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INCOMES ARE LOWER IN
RIGHT-TO-WORK STATES
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Right-to-work
laws are a bad deal for workers because they restrict workers' right to
union representation and lower the average pay of all workers. In 1998, the
annual average pay in free states was $31,932, compared with $26,927 in
right-to-work states—a 19 percent difference. Right-to-work states have
lower "union density" (the percentage of workers who belong to unions)—7.9
percent, compared with 16.1 percent in free states. |
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Note: Right-to-work states are Alabama,
Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. 1997
data used for New Jersey.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, unpublished state data, 1999; Average Annual Pay by State and Industry, 1998, news release, Dec. 15, 1999. Prepared by the AFL-CIO |