Cord Byrd: “Mr. President, I am opposed to federal right-to-work legislation. Let me first say that right-to-work is a concept that…”

“Mr. President, I am opposed to federal right-to-work legislation. Let me first say that right-to-work is a concept that is often believed to mean ``equal opportunity,'' when it really does not extend to anyone a ``right'' that he or she does not already have. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 set forth a worker's right to belong to a union of his or her choice, as determined by democratic balloting. Under this arrangement, unions and management were free to negotiate collective bargaining agreements which included a security clause. Essentially, these clauses, which could not be approved without the consent of both labor and management, required all employees of a unionized company to pay dues to cover the costs of their representation. However, in 1947, the Congress approved the Taft-Hartley Act, which gave each State the option to make its own determination on the so-called right-to-work issue.”