Fighting Right to Work in New Hampshire

On Jan. 25 and 26 at the New Hampshire AFL-CIO hall, District 4 Director John Shinn hosted a two-day training and discussion on so-called “right to work” (RTW) in New Hampshire for staff and local leaders. 

The meeting started with the an overview of NH’s political landscape, conducted by NH AFL-CIO’s Dan Justice, Judy Steadman, Jan Schafer and Jason Miller, and USW District 4 staff Dave Wasiura and Mark McDonald. Presenters also reviewed the action plan on how union members will help stop RTW in the NH House.

This was followed by an open discussion with guest from USW District 2 Local Union Presidents Jim Allen and Joe Brown, and USW District 9 Local Union Presidents Eric Jarvis and Michael Healan, who talked about how their locals are dealing with RTW in their states. The training ended with a questions and answer session where the group answered questions from the locals on how they function with RTW and how the locals build and keep members.

This proactive meeting was helpful in showing how the USW will fight RTW bills and if one passes, how we will continue to represent our membership in the best way moving forward.

More about RTW and other anti-worker laws

Despite the misleading name, RTW does not guarantee anyone a job and does not protect workers’ rights. There are different versions of RTW legislation and many more types of bills that are wrong for working people, but all of them are designed to limit the power of labor unions, and the workers they represent, to negotiate for better pay and working conditions.

One example of how RTW negatively impacts our abilities to represent our members: In Missouri a law was passed making it legal for working people in a union-represented workplace to no longer have to be a dues-paying member of that union. However, they still get the benefits provided to those who pay dues — like health and safety provisions that keep them safe on the job, wage and health benefit increases that help them sustain their families, retirement benefits and more. It gives workers the right to freeload.

You can still take action! Call or Write Your NH State Legislator

It just takes a minute to call your Representative or write a short hand-written note and drop it in the mailbox. Find the name, address and telephone numbers of your state legislators here.

Steelworkers in NH rallying outside capitol against RTW.

Press Inquiries

Media Contacts

Communications Director:
Jess Kamm at 412-562-2446

USW@WORK (USW magazine)
Editor R.J. Hufnagel

For industry specific inquiries,
Call USW Communications at 412-562-2442

Mailing Address

United Steelworkers
Communications Department
60 Blvd. of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15222