Missouri lawmakers fail to enact Right to Work

HB 116, Republicans latest attempt at controversial “Right-to-Work” legislation lost its override attempt in the House during veto session after hours of floor debate, which garnered loud cheers and applause from full galleries of union members.

Democratic Sen. Scott Sifton sought to block consideration of the unemployment bill this week by asserting that an override vote is no longer timely under the state constitution and thus wasn’t allowed under Senate rules.

The Missouri House on April 22 voted overwhelmingly in favor of municipal court reforms that would significantly curtail the amount of revenue that cities in St. Louis County can raise from traffic citations.

A group of civil rights and low-wage worker advocates had gathered enough signatures for a Kansas City ballot initiative calling for a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2020.

Despite the failure, those who would like to see right to work adopted in Missouri say they plan to continue to push for the measure.

The Missouri House voted 114-46 and the Senate voted 23-9, above and beyond the two-thirds necessary to override the veto threatened by Nixon in the summer.

The outcome was a victory for Nixon and state labor groups who had fought bitterly to sustain the veto. “I look forward to working with leaders in the House and Senate on the bipartisan priorities that will truly strengthen our economy – like creating jobs, balancing budgets, investing in our local schools and making college more affordable”.

Later Wednesday evening, Senators voted 24-8 to override Nixon’s veto of a bill banning undocumented immigrants from receiving the A+ scholarship.

For years, out-of-state corporate interests that ship jobs overseas have tried to pressure Missouri lawmakers into pushing “Right to Work” in order to increase their profits at the expense of middle class families.

Missouri’s current minimum wage is $7.65 an hour and adjusts annually with inflation. Today’s vote sends a strong signal that Missourians think “Right to Work” is wrong for our state. Former Missouri Chief Justice Michael Wolff told The Associated Press in May that the Senate “missed its constitutional window to act” because the House overrode its vote during the regular session.

Democratic Rep. Genise Montecillo, of suburban St. Louis, countered: “I do not understand this anti-worker climate”. Opponents contended the cut will harm young undocumented immigrants, dubbed “Dreamers”, who should not be punished because they were brought into the United States illegally by their parents. “If there’s money, a business will be there”.

It targets students who lack legal status but have been deemed lawfully present in the US under President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

House Minority Leader Jake Hummel, D-St.