The Low Cost of Labor Reform

In Missouri, once a union becomes the “exclusive representative” for a group of public employees, that union remains in power indefinitely. Some have suggested fixing this system by allowing unionized public employees the ability to vote to maintain or replace their union every few years. A regular secret-ballot election sounds like a good check on the potential abuses that can occur when a representative body isn’t held accountable to its constituents. But aren’t elections expensive?

This study shows how our state can provide regular elections for its unionized government employees at a low cost to incumbent unions and at no cost to taxpayers.