With Corbett not on board, ‘right to work’ seems unlikely in Pa.

At least one business interest group is hoping Pennsylvania is right on Michigan’s heels as the next state to pass right-to-work legislation.

Right-to-work laws bar businesses from requiring workers to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment.

Pennsylvania’s economy stands to gain if it passes such a measure, says Kevin Shivers of the National Federation of Independent Business.

“I know there are a number of businesses in Pennsylvania that are looking at Indiana, Michigan, now, and Wisconsin and saying, ‘Boy, look at the direction of those states. We want to locate there,'” he said.

But Gov. Tom Corbett has said the state lacks the will to pass right-to-work legislation.

The push is coming from big business groups, not individual workers, says Frank Sirianni, head of the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council.

“The general public, I don’t think in any way is walking around saying, ‘Gee, I wish we were a right to work state,'” he said.

Independent fact checkers have noted lower unemployment rates in right-to-work states.

But opponents of right-to-work say the law also brings down wages.