A right-to-work delay in Indiana doesn’t mean it’s not the right time for RTW in other states. The New Hampshire House has passed legislation and Maine Gov. Paul LePage says "we’re going after" right-to-work.

The New Hampshire bill passed the House 221-131 (what the heck they are doing with 350-plus House members in one of our smaller states is a question for another day). The Deputy House Speaker was quoted as saying:

"New Hampshire would be the first state in the Northeast to pass right-to-work legislation and would help us become a haven for employers seeking a pro-business environment,” Pamela Tucker said.

“Freedom is a core New Hampshire belief, and freedom of association and choice is a fundamental right of every NH citizen.”

In Maine, the governor made his intentions known while in Washington for the National Governors Association meeting. His comments to Politico:

"I believe if an individual wants to join organized labor and work under a union contract, they should have the legal right to do so," he said. "At the same token, a person who does not want to work under organized labor and wants to work should have the ability to do so without the threat of having to join and having to pay dues to organized labor."

"It’s that simple," he said. "It’s all about freedom and liberty."

RTW, of course, is on hold in Indiana. It was originally cited as the reason for the House Democrat walkout, but that was quickly proven not to be the case. Legislative leaders said RTW would not return in any form prior to a possible summer study committee, but nearly all the Democrat caucus remains in an Urbana, Illinois hotel, now citing education reform as the reason for their discontent.

The Chamber simply made the case for the advantages of right-to-work in a January 31 study and accompanying press release. We look forward to the debate resuming at a later time on this issue — and now for the other important bills before the General Assembly.