HELENA — Unions and their supporters filled the State Capitol in Helena on Friday in a show of opposition to a bill that would establish Montana as a “right-to-work” state.
More than 100 members of the public spoke to the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee about Senate Bill 376 – all but two of them opposing it. Those against the bill said it would undermine unions, but those supporting it said it would protect the freedom of Montana workers.
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“I believe there are certain liberties that can't be bargained away at the negotiating table between labor and management, and that includes the worker’s individual right to decide for themselves whether a union merits their financial support,” said Sen. Mark Noland, R-Bigfork, who’s sponsoring SB 376.
The bill would say people can’t be forced to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment, and it would require them to give written authorization to have any money for the union deducted from their paychecks.
Supporters of SB 376 said employees should have the right not to associate with a union – especially if it takes political stances they disagree with – and that switching to right-to-work would attract more economic activity to Montana. They argued the bill wasn’t attacking unions, but would require them to be more accountable to their members.
“Pass this right-to-work bill, and every union member that will testify here today will be able to remain in their union,” said Randy Pope, executive director of Montana Citizens for Right to Work. “And those employees like myself, who do not want union representation for whatever reason, will no longer be forced to pay for representation they do not want.”
But opponents said SB 376 would essentially lead to “defunding” unions and weakening their bargaining power. They said there are already plenty of opportunities for workers who don’t want to belong to a union.
Jason Hottel, with Ironworkers Local 732, said he had previously worked in Idaho – a right-to-work state – and found union and non-union wages were lower than in Montana.
“This bill completely destroys what Montana stands for,” he said.
Bob Brock, with the Montana State Conference of Electrical Workers, said the question of whether an employer will be a “closed shop” – where union membership is required – is currently negotiated between employees and management. He said a change like this would take away one of the workers’ key negotiating tools.
“What we have now works for both employers and employees, so please don't interject more government into the private sector,” he said.
After Friday’s hearing, opponents of the bill rallied on the front steps of the Capitol. Unions had previously rallied against bills almost identical to SB 376 in the last two legislative sessions. In 2021, the bill failed on the House floor, and in 2023, it was voted down in committee.
“Every time this bill comes to the Legislature, it's a fantastic opportunity for us to educate our members about the importance of being politically active,” said Al Ekblad, with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 400, during the hearing.
The committee didn’t take immediate action on SB 376. The bill will need to pass through the Senate by the end of next week in order to remain alive.
