What the National Right to Work Committee will tell you is that it exists to “combat the evils of compulsory unionism.” They will tell you they are a grassroots organization that exists to protect employees from getting fired because they don’t want to support a union.

What they won’t tell you is that “right to work” laws allow workers to pay nothing and still receive all the benefits of union membership. They won’t tell you that workers in “right to work” states earn 15.2 percent less annually than those in free bargaining states, or that those former states have a 37 percent higher fatality rate. They won’t tell you that right to work states have higher rates of poverty, and spend less on education compared to free bargaining states.

And they probably won’t tell you that when members of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) come out to speak out and protect their livelihoods from the lies spread by the National Right to Work Committee, they do so in force.

On Thursday, March 28, 2024, Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Committee, was scheduled to speak on “Empowering Futures: Advancing the Right to Work,” at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. Unfortunately for Mr. Mix, over 100 LIUNA Laborers decided to show up as well.

“When Local 773’s recently formed VOC (Volunteer Organizing Committee) began meeting, we knew fights would come our way,” said Local 773 Business Manager Jerry Womick. “However, we were caught a little off guard by SIU-C bringing in Mark Mix and his right-to-work propaganda last week.”

773 Shows up

The Laborers were there to stand up for the real facts about right to work states, and the truth that they are designed to weaken collective bargaining strength and ultimately destroy the union movement.

“773’s VOC made quick work of Mix by shutting down the event and sending a strong message to him and those that supported his visit to SIU-C,” said Jerry.

What the National Right to Work Committee won’t tell you is that the Union has truth on its side, and that together the Union is strong!