Opinion ID: 4527880
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: conclusion

Text: To summarize our analysis above, states are expressly authorized under federal law, the LMRA, to prohibit labor organizations from collecting compelled dues from workers as a condition of employment or as a condition for the continuation of employment. The West Virginia Legislature has exercised this authority by enactment of the Workplace Freedom Act with the clear legislative intent to protect the rights of West Virginia workers to choose for themselves whether to associate. From this basis, we have examined whether the Act violates the West Virginia Constitution’s protections of association, property, and liberty rights, and have found no violations. The Act does not Wisconsin’s right-to-work law, Act 1, “does not require labor organizations to provide services to anyone. Act 1 merely prohibits employers from requiring union membership or the payment of fees as a condition of employment.”). 63 violate association rights. There simply is nothing in the Act that prevents workers from voluntarily associating with labor unions; instead, the Act operates to protect workers from being forced to associate with labor organizations they do not wish to join or fund. The Act also does not take property. The obligation on certain labor organizations to provide collective bargaining and grievance services to non-member workers is imposed by federal law, not the Act. Furthermore, as we have explained above, labor unions that are obligated to provide this fair representation receive due compensation in the form of valuable benefits provided under federal law. These benefits include their designation as the exclusive bargaining unit and the bargaining power that accompanies that designation. For the same reason, the Act does not infringe on any liberty interest by prohibiting compelled dues. The obligation to provide services to nonmembers is imposed on labor organizations by federal law, not the Act, and they are compensated for those services. In this appeal, Labor Unions have failed to present any relevant federal or state authority wherein a labor organization’s rights have been infringed by right-to-work legislation similar to that enacted by our state legislature. Moreover, the circuit court clearly erred in its application of this Court’s holding in Morrisey I. Because we have found the Act does not infringe upon association, property, or liberty rights protected by the West Virginia Constitution, we reverse the February 27, 2019 order of the Circuit Court of Kanawha County insofar as it granted partial summary judgment in favor of the Labor Unions. As there remains no 64 genuine issue of fact to be tried and the law has been clarified, we remand this matter for entry of summary judgment in favor of the State. 82 Reversed and remanded. 82 As we previously noted, in its order of February 27, 2019, the Circuit Court of Kanawha County also granted partial summary judgment in favor of the State, and the Labor Unions did not appeal that ruling. See supra note 38. Thus, as a result of our disposition of this appeal, summary judgment shall now be granted to the State with respect to this case in its entirety. 65