So, Indiana will be the 23rd state with a right-to-work law, and the only one in the industrial heartland. Good for us:
From 2000 to 2010, employment in right-to-work states increased 2.3 percent, compared to a 4.0 percent decline in non-right-to-work states. Indiana saw employment decrease 6.9 percent over the same period. That means Indiana lost roughly 207,000 jobs over the past 10 years. In contrast, 1.2 million jobs were created in right-to-work states.
Also from the report, which is from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy: The right--work law will mean good wages, will not affect worker safety and will not harm unions. That last point is especially interesting considering the union-busting rhetoric unleashed by House Democrats. Between 2000 and 2010, according to the Mackinac Center, union membership declined by 9.5 percent in non-right-to-work-states and 9.2 percent in right-to-work-states.
The next right-to-work battleground? Some people think it will be Michigan, which would be pretty remarkable. The victory here may encourage the movement there.
