Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb337%20intr.htm&yr=2015&sesstype=RS&i=337
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 20:18:43+00:00

Document:
A BILL to amend and reenact §21-1A-3 and §21-1A-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §21-5G-1, §21-5G-2, §21-5G-3, §21-5G-4, §21-5G-5, §21-5G-6, §21-5G-7, §21-5G-8 and §21-5G-9, all relating to establishing the West Virginia Right to Work Law; prohibiting any requirement that a person become or remain a member of a labor organization as condition of employment; prohibiting any requirement that a person must pay dues or other fees to a labor organization; prohibiting any requirement that a person contribute to a charity in lieu of paying dues or other fees to a labor organization; providing that certain agreements or practices between labor organizations and employers are null and void; providing for monetary penalties; providing for injunctive relief; providing for private cause of action for damages and attorney's fees; providing exceptions; requiring prosecuting attorneys and the Attorney General to investigate complaints; and defining terms.
ARTICLE 1A. LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS ACT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an agreement requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment as authorized in subdivision (3), subsection (a), section four of this article including the right to refrain from paying any dues, fees, assessments or other similar charges however denominated of any kind or amount to a labor organization or to a charity in lieu of a payment to a labor organization.
(5) To refuse to bargain collectively with the representatives of his or her employees, subject to the provisions of subsection (a), section five of this article.
(c) The expressing of any views, argument or opinion, or the dissemination thereof, whether in written, printed, graphic or visual form, shall not constitute or be evidence of an unfair labor practice, or be prohibited under this article, if such expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit.
(4) Continues in full force and effect, without resorting to strike or lockout, all the terms and conditions of the existing contract for a period of sixty days after such notice is given or until the expiration date of such contract, whichever occurs later. The duties imposed upon employers, employees, and labor organizations by subdivisions (2), (3) and (4) of this subsection (d) shall become inapplicable upon an intervening certification of the board, under which the labor organization or individual, which is a party to the contract, has been superseded as or ceased to be the representative of the employees subject to the provisions of subsection (a), section five of this article, and the duties so imposed shall not be construed as requiring either party to discuss or agree to any modification of the terms and conditions contained in a contract for a fixed period, if such modification is to become effective before such terms and conditions can be reopened under the provisions of the contract. Any employee who engages in a strike within the sixty- day period specified in this subsection shall lose his or her status as an employee of the employer engaged in the particular labor dispute, for the purposes of sections three, four and five of this article, but such loss of status for such employee shall terminate if and when he or she is redeployed by such employer.
(e) It shall be an unfair labor practice for any labor organization and any employer to enter into any contract or agreement, express or implied, whereby such employer ceases or refrains or agrees to cease or refrain from handling, using, selling, transporting, or otherwise dealing in any of the products of any other employer, or to cease doing business with any other person and any such contract or agreement entered into heretofore or hereafter shall be to such extent unenforceable and void.
ARTICLE 5G. WEST VIRGINIA RIGHT TO WORK LAW.
(a) The term "labor organization" means any organization of any kind, or agency or employee representation committee or union, which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining or of dealing with any employer, or with any public body, concerning wages, rates of pay, salaries, hours of work, other forms of compensation, or other terms or conditions of employment or grievances, or for any other mutual aid or protection in relation to employment.
(b) The term "Employer" means all persons, firms, associations, corporations, public employers, public school employers and public colleges, universities, institution, and education agencies.
(3) Pay any charity or third party in lieu of those payments, any amount or pro rata portion of dues, fees, assessments or other charges required of members of a labor organization.
Any agreement, understanding or practice, written or oral, implied or expressed, between any labor organization and employer or public body which violates the rights of employees as set out in this article is hereby declared to be unlawful, null and void, and of no legal effect.
A labor organization, employer, public body or other person directly or indirectly violating this article is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $5,000.
Any person injured as a result of any violation or threatened in violation of this article is entitled to injunctive relief against any and all violators or persons threatening violations.
Any person injured as a result of any violation or threatened violation of this article may recover damages, including costs and reasonable attorney fees, resulting from the violation or threatened violation. These remedies are independent of and in addition to the penalties and remedies set out in other provisions of this article.
It is the duty of the prosecuting attorney of each county, and of the Attorney General of this state, to investigate complaints of violations or threatened violations of this article, to prosecute all persons violating any of its provisions, and to take all means necessary to ensure its enforcement.
(4) Where they would otherwise conflict with, or be preempted by, federal law.
If any provision of this act or the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance should be held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this act or the application of its provisions to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held invalid shall not be affected thereby.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish the West Virginia Right to Work Law. The bill prohibits any requirement that a person become or remain a member of a labor organization as a condition of employment. The bill prohibits any requirement that a person must pay dues or other fees to a labor organization. The bill prohibits any requirement that a person contribute to a charity in lieu of paying dues or other fees to a labor organization. The bill provides that certain agreements or practices between labor organizations and employers are null and void. The bill provides for monetary penalties. The bill provides for injunctive relief. The bill provides for a private cause of action for damages and attorney's fees. The bill provides exceptions. The bill requires prosecuting attorneys and the Attorney General to investigate complaints. The bill defines terms.
Article 5G is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

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