PRO Act threatens Virginians’ right to work

Virginia’s right-to-work laws have been essential in attracting new businesses to the Commonwealth, spurring economic investment and development, and protecting the freedom of workers. However, current legislation in Congress could undermine the positive economic environment we have worked so hard to build, jeopardizing the strength of Virginia businesses and the rights of workers alike.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe once said we should never change our right-to-work designation as it helps us “do what we need to do to grow our businesses here in Virginia.” However, legislation in the Senate — S. 420, the “Protecting the Right to Organize Act” (PRO Act) — would nullify right-to-work protections here and in more than two dozen other states. Virginia businesses and workers are grateful that Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is one of the few Democratic holdouts that has not yet signed on to co-sponsor this unfortunately flawed bill. 

It isn’t hard to see how our state’s right-to-work laws have helped us grow Virginia businesses and attract new ones to our region. Amazon selecting Northern Virginia as the location to build its second headquarters is the perfect example of the positive impact the right to work has had on workers, local businesses, and our economy. Amazon’s “HQ2” will help spur job growth and economic investment in the technology sector in Northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth, increasing prosperity in local communities and powering an even stronger economic recovery.

However, if Congress were to pass the PRO Act, it would rescind right-to-work laws nationwide right off the bat. That means Virginia workers could once again be forced to pay union dues regardless of their support for unionization, or lack thereof, or else face the possibility of losing their jobs. 

Not only does that ignore what workers actually want, but it also completely disregards the will of voters, who in many cases were the ones that pushed for and helped enact right-to-work laws across the country. In reality, this bill only does away with the right to work because doing so makes it that much easier for unions to force unionization upon a workplace.

Virginia’s right-to-work status has been crucial in creating the positive economic environment that has helped foster private-sector growth. We cannot afford to throw this away by allowing Congress to push through anti-business, and truly anti-worker, legislation that takes aim at Virginians’ right to work.

Sen. Warner knows what it takes to keep Virginia businesses strong and our economy ticking — and it isn’t highly partisan legislation like this. Sen. Warner should be commended for not co-sponsoring this bill and for taking a stand for Virginia workers as well as businesses.

Instead of legislation that could threaten the progress we are making to build a stronger economy, Congress should focus on passing real solutions that protect workers while giving businesses here in the Commonwealth and throughout the country the support they need to continue powering job creation and economic investment in our communities. 

Bobbie Kilberg is president and CEO Emeritus of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, one of the largest technology councils in the nation. She has worked directly for three Republican presidents.