To: BAC Local 1 OR/WA/ID/MT members

From: Matt Eleazer

Date: February 10, 2021

RE: Montana HB 251

Dear BAC Local 1 Members,

I write to inform you that the Montana Legislature is currently considering bill H.B. 251 - a union
busting piece of legislation. H.B. 251 would make Montana a “Right-to-Work” state, or what we
call, “Right-to-Work for Less”.

Right-to-Work (RTW) is a misleading statement, it does not entail any guarantee of employment
for people ready to go to work. Rather, by making it harder for workers’ organizations to sustain
themselves financially, state RTW laws aim to undermine unions’ bargaining strength.

RTW laws prevent unions from requiring that workers who benefit from union representation pay
their fair share of that representation. By making it harder for unions to collect these “fair share
fees,” RTW laws aim to restrict union resources and to thereby impede unions’ ability to negotiate
better wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers.

Businesses and contractors want highly skilled workers like members of our union. RTW laws
undermine joint training and apprenticeship programs, like ours, which are self-funded by our
members and contractors. It eliminates funding for well-respected training and apprenticeship
programs that benefit business and our communities.

RTW laws also lowers wages for all families. Workers who live in Right-to-Work states can make
significantly less than folks who do the same job in Non-Right-to-Work states. In Idaho,
construction workers make nearly $9,000 less per year than those same workers in Montana.
I respectfully urge you to contact your state representative at (406) 444-4800 and urge them to
VOTE NO on H.B. 251. Montana can do better, we demand better.

Respectfully,

Matt Eleazer
President