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Bevin Hopes to Pass "Right to Work" Legislation

J. Tyler Franklin
/
WFPL

Governor Matt Bevin is laying out a conservative legislative agenda he hopes to see accomplished during the next General Assembly.  

The first-term Republican is backing several proposals that have previously passed the GOP-led Senate, but not the Democratic-controlled House.

Bevin says one of his top economic priorities is passing a measure supporters call “right to work.” Such laws prevent workers from being compelled to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.

Bevin says governors in states with “right to work” laws have told him they have a big advantage over Kentucky.

“I’ve literally had two of them tell me first thing—others have said some other things and this was farther down the list—but two of them said first thing: ‘We love it when it’s down to us and Kentucky for a big manufacturing plant,'" Bevin said. "'We know we’re going to win it because you’re not right to work.’”

Opponents of “right to work” laws say they are an effort to drive down wages and harm labor unions.

Kevin is the News Director at WKU Public Radio. He has been with the station since 1999, and was previously the Assistant News Director, and also served as local host of Morning Edition. He is a broadcast journalism graduate of WKU, and has won numerous awards for his reporting and feature production. Kevin grew up in Radcliff, Kentucky and currently lives in Glasgow.
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