1998 Ron Paul 78:1
Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman
for yielding and for his leadership on
this important issue. I am pleased to have this
opportunity to reiterate my strong support for
the National Right to Work Act, HR 59. Unlike
much of the legislation considered before this
Congress, this bill expands freedom by repealing
those sections of federal law that authorize
compulsory unionism, laws that Congress had
no constitutional authority to enact in the first
place!
1998 Ron Paul 78:2
Since the problem of compulsory unionism
was created by Congress, only Congress can
solve it. While state Right to Work laws provide
some modicum of worker freedom, they
do not cover millions of workers on federal enclaves,
in the transportation industries, or on
Indian Reservations. Contrary to the claims of
Right to Work opponents, this bill in no way infringes
on state autonomy. I would remind my
colleagues that, prior to the passage of the
National Labor Relations Act, no state had a
law requiring workers to join a union or pay
union dues. Compulsory unionism was forced
on the people and the states when Congress
nationalized labor policy in 1935. It strains
logic to suggest that repeal of any federal law
is somehow a violation of states’ rights.
1998 Ron Paul 78:3
I would also like to take this opportunity to
emphasize that this bill does not in any way
infringe on the rights of workers to voluntary
join or support a labor union or any other labor
organization. Nothing in HR 59 interferes with
the ability of a worker to organize, strike, or
support union political activity if those actions
stem from a worker’s choice. Furthermore,
nothing in HR 59 interferes with the internal
affairs of unions. All the National Right to
Work Bill does is stop the federal government
from forcing a worker to support a labor union
against that worker’s will. In a free society, the
decision of whether or not to join a union
should be made by the worker, not by the
government.
1998 Ron Paul 78:4
No wonder the overwhelming majority of the
American people support the National Right to
Work Act, as shown both by polling results
and by the many postcards and petitions my
office has received asking for Congressional
action on this bill.
1998 Ron Paul 78:5
I once again thank the gentleman from Virginia
for his leadership on this bill.
Note:
1998 Ron Paul 78:1 Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding is
misleading because this speech was inserted into the
Congressional Record but never delivered on the House floor.
