Changes

Mark Mix, senior vice president of the National Right to Work Committee in Springfield, [[Virginia]], noted that the same trend is evident in manufacturing. U.S. Department of Labor data show that Louisiana manufacturing hourly wages has risen from 102 percent of the national average in 1976 to 108 percent in the 21st century. Because the cost of living in Louisiana has been traditionally lower than in other states, construction workers' real, disposable income rose for a time above the national average.<ref name=autogenerated1/>​

Mark Mix, senior vice president of the National Right to Work Committee in Springfield, [[Virginia]], noted that the same trend is evident in manufacturing. U.S. Department of Labor data show that Louisiana manufacturing hourly wages has risen from 102 percent of the national average in 1976 to 108 percent in the 21st century. Because the cost of living in Louisiana has been traditionally lower than in other states, construction workers' real, disposable income rose for a time above the national average.<ref name=autogenerated1/>​

Bussie said the decline of labor unions in Louisiana began in 1976, when the state Legislature narrowly approved right-to-work legislation that was pushed by [[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]], the founding executive director of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Bussie once called right-to-work “the most misnamed, deceitful, misleading piece of legislation ever introduced.” Bussie and unions argued that right-to-work was meant to weaken unions so businesses could lower wages. Right-to-work proponents said that the legislation was needed to keep unions from forcing employees to join unions against their personal wishes. “That is when wages started going down in Louisiana,” Bussie said. “It was tough, very disappointing.”  Bussie said that prior to right-to-work, Louisiana had among the most skilled workers in the nation. Businesses liked the skill of workers, except for those companies that were just adamantly anti-union, he said.

Bussie said the decline of labor unions in Louisiana began in 1976, when the state Legislature narrowly approved right-to-work legislation that was pushed by [[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]], the founding executive director of the [[Louisiana Association of Business and Industry]], based in Baton Rouge. Bussie once called right-to-work “the most misnamed, deceitful, misleading piece of legislation ever introduced.” Bussie and unions argued that right-to-work was meant to weaken unions so businesses could lower wages. Right-to-work proponents said that the legislation was needed to keep unions from forcing employees to join unions against their personal wishes. “That is when wages started going down in Louisiana,” Bussie said. “It was tough, very disappointing.”  Bussie said that prior to right-to-work, Louisiana had among the most skilled workers in the nation. Businesses liked the skill of workers, except for those companies that were just adamantly anti-union, he said.

“It was one of the biggest fights in the Legislature of this past century,” noted Steimel, who long defended the legislation. But he said that corporations in Louisiana today are inadvertently inviting the return of stronger unions because workers get paid more in other states for the same jobs. "They’re abusing the power of right-to-work," Steimel said.

“It was one of the biggest fights in the Legislature of this past century,” noted Steimel, who long defended the legislation. But he said that corporations in Louisiana today are inadvertently inviting the return of stronger unions because workers get paid more in other states for the same jobs. "They’re abusing the power of right-to-work," Steimel said.