House of Delegates passes right to work amendment

By: By BOB LEWIS AP Political Writer | WSLS 10
Published: February 10, 2009

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Not content with decades of state law against compulsory union membership, Republican conservatives took a major step Tuesday toward adding right-to-work guarantees to Virginia's constitution.

The House voted 55-42 to advance Del. Chris Saxman's resolution to the Senate.

To become part of the Virginia Constitution, the measure has to pass the General Assembly this year, again next year, then be ratified by Virginia voters in the fall of 2010.

Saxman, a Republican and water distribution company proprietor from Staunton, said the bill arose from federal union card-check legislation.

That bill, now before Congress, would let workers form a union just by signing a card of petition instead of holding secret ballot elections.

The federal bill would not require union membership as a condition for working.