JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Republicans used their large majorities to send a right-to-work measure to Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday but appear to lack the support to override an expected veto.
The Missouri House gave final approval to the bill that would prohibit workplace contracts that require union fees to be collected from nonmembers. Republican-controlled legislatures have successfully passed similar measures in three other states in recent years, with Wisconsin becoming the 25th right-to-work state earlier this year.
Missouri's legislation passed the House 92-66, a day after winning Senate approval 21-13. Both votes were short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a veto from Nixon, who denounced the bill as an attack on workers that would weaken the middle class.
"At a time when our economy is picking up steam and businesses are creating good jobs, this so-called Right-to-Work bill would take Missouri backwards," Nixon said in a written statement.
Although Republicans hold supermajorities, some Republicans have joined Democrats in opposing the bill.
Supporters say the legislation would attract more businesses to the state and spur economic growth, while opponents assert that it would undermine unions and lead to lower wages. Reviews of research into the economic effects of right-to-work laws have generally concluded that it is difficult to isolate that provision from other policies and preferences in the state.
Proponents of the measure also say that workers should not be forced to pay fees for representation if they do not want to be members of the union.
"It's not just about people receiving higher salaries or providing job growth, it's about giving individuals freedom," said bill sponsor Rep. Eric Burlison, a Republican from Springfield.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that individuals can opt out of membership dues but the union may still collect fees for services such as negotiating contracts that cover both members and nonmembers.
Opponents say unions would likely end up representing people who did not pay any fees under a right-to-work law, creating a free-rider problem and weakening the strength of unions.
Democratic Rep. Clem Smith, of Velda Village Hills, said unions protect employees from discrimination and that workers did not want this bill.
"I can make the same pay as my counterpart who may be of any other ethnicity," said Smith, a union member who works for Boeing. "It doesn't matter if you're black, white, male or female, whatever you want to call yourself. ... There's no inequity."
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the state has been overlooked by businesses searching for places to expand because it did not have a right-to-work law.
"This means more jobs and opportunities for our state, plain and simple," said Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Mehan.
The legislation would make anyone "who directly or indirectly violates" its provisions subject to misdemeanor charges punishable by up to 15 days in jail and a fine of up to $300. Civil lawsuits also could be brought against anyone who violates, or threatens to violate, the bill's ban on mandatory union fees in workplaces.
The opponents included Republican Rep. John McCaherty, of High Ridge, who said the legislation amounts to government intrusion in the private sector and interferes with the rights of business owners to reach contracts with unions.
"When you knock on their door next time, don't tell them that you kept government out of their life," McCaherty told colleagues.
Republican supporters of right to work have been pushing to pass the measure for years. It gained initial approval in the Missouri House for the first time last year but failed to garner enough votes to get to the Senate.
This year, Senate Republicans used a rare procedural move to cut off debate Tuesday evening and force a vote. Democratic opponents of right to work responded Wednesday by slowing activity in the chamber to a crawl.
Right-to-work bill is HB 116.
Missouri House roll call on 'right-to-work' legislation
The 92-66 roll call vote Wednesday on a measure that would prohibit union contracts with employers that allow the collection of fees from non-members, sometimes called right to work.
Voting "yes" were 92 Republicans.
Voting "no" were 42 Democrats, one Independent and 23 Republicans.
Not voting were two Democrats and two Republicans.
REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Sue Allen, Town and Country
Mike Cierpiot, Lee's Summit
Justin Alferman, Washington
Sonya Anderson, Springfield
Allen Andrews, Grant City
Kevin Austin, Springfield
Kurt Bahr, O'Fallon
Jay Barnes, Jefferson City
Chuck Basye, Rocheport
Nathan Beard, Sedalia
Mike Bernskoetter, Jefferson City
Jack Bondon, Belton
Rick Brattin, Harrisonville
Cloria Brown, St. Louis County
Wanda Brown, Cole Camp
Eric Burlison, Springfield
Jason Chipman, St. James
Steve Cookson, Poplar Bluff
Sandy Crawford, Buffalo
Gary Cross, Lee's Summit
Paul Curtman, Pacific
Charlie Davis, Webb City
Shamed Dogan, Ballwin
Dean Dohrman, La Monte
Tony Dugger, Hartville
J. Eggleston, Maysville
Sue Entlicher, Bolivar
Scott Fitzpatrick, Shell Knob
Travis Fitzwater, Holts Summit
Tom Flanigan, Carthage
Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield
Diane Franklin, Camdenton
Keith Frederick, Rolla
Don Gosen, Chesterfield
Elijah Haahr, Springfield
Marsha Haefner, Oakville
Jim Hansen, Frankford
Justin Hill, Willard
Denny Hoskins, Warrensburg
Lincoln Hough, Springfield
Jay Houghton, Martinsburg
Tila Hubrecht, Dexter
Thomas Hurst, Meta
Delus Johnson, St. Joseph
Caleb Jones, Columbia
Jeffery Justus, Branson
Shelley Keeney, Marble Hill
Mike Kelley, Lamar
Andrew Koenig, Manchester
Glen Kolkmeyer, Wellington
Mike Lair, Chillicothe
Bill Lant, Pineville
Mike Leara, St. Louis County
Donna Lichtenegger, Jackson
Warren Love, Osceola
Steve Lynch, Waynesville
Nick Marshall, Parkville
Kirk Mathews, Pacific
Andrew McDaniel, Deering
Joe Don McGaugh, Carrollton
Jeffrey Messenger, Republic
Rocky Miller, Osage Beach
Mike Moon, Ash Grove
Lynn Morris, Ozark
Dave Muntzel, Boonville
Mark Parkinson, St. Charles
Donna Pfautsch, Harrisonville
Don Phillips, Kimberling City
Patricia Pike, Adrian
Jeff Pogue, Salem
Craig Redmon, Canton
Holly Rehder, Sikeston
Bill Rieboldt, Neosho
Tim Remole, Excello
Shawn Rhoads, West Plains
Todd Richardson, Poplar Bluff
Rebecca Roeber, Lee's Summit
Donald Rone, Portageville
Robert Ross, Yukon
Caleb Rowden, Columbia
Lyle Rowland, Cedarcreek
Noel Shull, Kansas City
Lindell Shumake, Hannibal
Bryan Spencer, Wentzville
Kathy Swan, Cape Girardeau
Jered Taylor, Nixa
Rob Vescovo, Arnold
Nate Walker, Kirksville
Bill White, Joplin
John Wiemann, O'Fallon
Kenneth Wilson, Smithville
David Wood, Versailles
DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Bob Burns, Affton
Michael Butler, St. Louis
Jon Carpenter, Kansas City
Joe Adams, University City
Ira Anders, Independence
Lauren Arthur, Kansas City
Pat Conway, St. Joseph
Randy Dunn, Kansas City
Brandon Ellington, Kansas City
Kimberly Gardner, St. Louis
Alan Green, Florissant
Ben Harris, Hillsboro
Penny Hubbard, St. Louis
Jacob Hummel, St. Louis
Kip Kendrick, Columbia
Jeanne Kirkton, Webster Groves
Michele Kratky, St. Louis
Jeremy LaFaver, Kansas City
Deb Lavender, Kirkwood
Karla May, St. Louis
Gail McCann Beatty, Kansas City
Tracy McCreery, Olivette
Tom McDonald, Raytown
Kevin McManus, Kansas City
Margo McNeil, Hazelwood
Sue Meredith, St. Louis County
Bonnaye Mims, Kansas City
Gina Mitten, Richmond Heights
Genise Montecillo, St. Louis County
Judy Morgan, Kansas City
Stacey Newman, Richmond Heights
Mary Nichols, Maryland Heights
Charlie Norr, Springfield
Bill Otto, Maryland Heights
Sharon Pace, Northwoods
Joshua Peters, St. Louis
Tommie Pierson, Bellefontaine Neighbors
John Rizzo, Kansas City
Joe Runions, Grandview
Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills
Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack
Stephen Webber, Columbia
REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Linda Black, Desloge
Kathie Conway, St. Charles
Kevin Corlew, Kansas City
Robert Cornejo, St. Peters
Kevin Engler, Farmington
Paul Fitzwater, Potosi
Elaine Gannon, De Soto
Ron Hicks, St. Peters
Galen Higdon, St. Joseph
Dave Hinson, St. Clair
Bill Kidd, Independence
Nick King, Liberty
Bart Korman, High Hill
Jeanie Lauer, Blue Springs
John McCaherty, High Ridge
Jim Neely, Cameron
Randy Pietzman, Troy
Shane Roden, Cedar Hill
Becky Ruth, Festus
Dan Shaul, Imperial
Sheila Solon, Blue Springs
Chrissy Sommer, St. Charles
Anne Zerr, St. Charles
INDEPENDENTS VOTING NO
Keith English, Florissant
REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING
T.J. Berry, Kearney
John Diehl, Town and Country
DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING
Mike Colona, St. Louis
Courtney Curtis, Ferguson