Opinion ID: 1191923
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Right to Work Statute

Text: Nevada's right to work statute, NRS 613.250, states: No person shall be denied the opportunity to obtain or retain employment because of nonmembership in a labor organization, or shall the state, or any subdivision thereof or any corporation, individual or association of any kind enter into any agreement, written or oral, which excludes any person from employment or continuation of employment because of nonmembership in a labor organization. This court has held that an agreement by an employer to hire only union employees has been declared by the people of this state to be an unlawful objective. Bldg. Trades v. Bonito, 71 Nev. 84, 88, 280 P.2d 295, 297 (1955). Bonito involved an agreement in which an employer agreed to hire union employees unless the union could not supply employees within forty-eight hours, at which time other employees could be hired. Id. at 89, 280 P.2d at 297. This court held that the agreement violated Nevada's right to work act. Id. Unlike Bonito, the PLA at issue allows both union and non-union contractors to bid on projects. Further, non-union contractors may use up to seven of their core employees selected on a one-to-one basis with employees referred by the union. Therefore, the PLA does not require that a project contractor hire only union employees. In addition, article IV, section 9 of the PLA provides that: No employee covered by this agreement shall be required to join any Union or pay any agency fees or dues as a condition of being employed, or remaining employed on the Project. Given that the PLA does not mandate union membership as a condition of employment on the project and that non-union members may be hired to work on the project, we hold that the PLA does not violate Nevada's right to work statute.