Teamsters Applaud Defeat Of Right-To-Work Legislation In New Hampshire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union applauds the defeat of right-to-work legislation in New Hampshire today, where the House of Representatives voted 200-177 in a bipartisan rejection of the anti-worker bill.

"This is a great victory for the working men and women in New Hampshire," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "Thanks to the hard work of our members with the support of Local 633 and Joint Council 10, right-to-work and its destructive agenda have been defeated."

Right-to-work laws require workers and their unions to cover the costs of non-union workers who benefit from union contracts. These laws are proven to drive down wages and weaken workers' unions by undercutting bargaining power.

Teamsters Local 633 in Manchester, N.H. and Joint Council 10, which represents 22 locals across New England, launched a massive call to action leading up to today's vote. Thousands of members called their elected officials in the House of Representatives asking them to reject the right-to-work legislation.

"On behalf of the thousands of hardworking men and women with Teamsters Union Local 633, I'm thrilled that the New Hampshire House of Representatives has rejected this misguided and harmful right -to-work legislation," said Jeffrey Padellaro, Secretary-Treasurer/Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 633. "Our members and their families worked hard to send a message to the legislature that right- to-work is wrong for New Hampshire."

Nine of the 10 states with the highest poverty rates are right-to-work states. Workers in states with right-to-work laws make about $1,500 less per year than workers in free bargaining states. Workers in right-to-work states are less likely to have employer-paid health care and pensions, and more likely to die in accidents on the job.

"New Hampshire sent a very strong message today – right-to-work initiatives drive wages down and make it difficult for companies to attract employees," said Sean M. O'Brien, International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Joint Council 10. "Teamsters have been working extremely hard to raise awareness of the problems with this right-to-work bill, and today's vote is a major victory for organized labor and the middle class that we hope will resonate for a long time and have an impact in other states considering damaging right-to-work legislation."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Galen Munroe, (202) 624-6911 
[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

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