Despite a push from the Governor and out-of-state business interests, the New Hampshire House has resoundingly killed the latest attempt to pass Right to Work in the Granite State.
The House voted 199-175 against the bill on Thursday night, with all Democrats voting no and 20 members of the Republican majority joining with them to sink the bill. They then voted 196-178 to indefinitely postpone the bill, meaning that the legislature cannot reconsider the bill until the next legislative session in 2023.
For weeks, people who had been closely involved with the bill on both sides thought that the vote would be close, but that ended up not being the case as Democrats stuck together and were able to bring some of their Republican colleagues on board.
As legislators voted inside the NH Sportsplex in Bedford, dozens of union members from across the state rallied outside letting the legislators know that they opposed the bill and opposed the negative consequences that come from Right to Work. Studies show that workers in Right to Work states make $10,000 less thanks to these laws.
"Unions give workers an avenue to raise important issues with their employers and protect their right to negotiate these issues without government interference," said state Rep. Doug Ley, D-Jaffrey, who voted against the measure. "They provide a path to a better life, and it’s in everyone’s interest to make sure unions are available to those who want to join."