Today, the Business and Industry Association (BIA) and the New Hampshire chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) endorsed the passage of HB 474 and called for legislators to support the overtun of the Governor’s veto. Here are excerpts from their press releases.
BIA to legislators: Right to work good for New Hampshire
Statewide chamber urges legislators to override Lynch veto of HB 474.
CONCORD, N.H. – May 23, 2011 –The Business and Industry Association – New Hampshire’s statewide chamber of commerce and leading business advocate – is urging legislators to support “right-to-work” legislation and vote on Wednesday to override Gov. John Lynch’s veto of HB 474. Under HB 474, employees would have the right to choose whether to financially support a labor union and could not be required to pay fees to a union should a company become unionized.
According to BIA President Jim Roche, this bill is good for employees and good for business, and has the support of businesses throughout New Hampshire.
“Employees should have the freedom to choose whether or not to belong to a labor union,” said Roche. “Employers in New Hampshire and around the country support a right-to-work law and, in fact, use it as a factor in making business decisions about where to expand.”
NFIB Endorses Right to Work Legislation
Concord – Today, the New Hampshire chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business endorsed the passage of House Bill 474, which is relative to freedom of choice of whether to join a labor union.
The 1500 member NFIB organization represents New Hampshire’s broadest cross section of small businesses in the state and it supports the passage of the “Right to Work” legislation that overwhelmingly passed the House and Senate.
“The right to work legislation that is pending gives employees a choice,” said Bruce Berke, NFIB New Hampshire’s State Director. “If someone chooses to work for a business that is later unionized, that employee should not be forced to either join that union or pay fees to support that union.”
“Giving employees a choice in a matter such as supporting or not supporting big labor is empowering to those employees and should be permitted under our state’s laws,” Berke said.