By Ryan Quinn, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has allowed a bill declaring public employee strikes “unlawful” and “a ground for termination” to become law.
The legislation (Senate Bill 11) passed both chambers early in the session. Republicans claimed supermajorities in both the House of Delegates and the Senate in November’s elections.
Justice didn’t sign or veto the legislation. SB 11 became law due to a provision in the state Constitution that says bills automatically become law if the governor doesn’t act for a set period of time.
Democrats and school worker unions claimed the bill was retaliatory, but also that it didn’t do anything new.
The state Supreme Court ruled over 30 years ago that “public employees have no right to strike in the absence of express legislation or, at the very least, appropriate statutory provisions for collective bargaining, mediation, and arbitration.”
Public employees still don’t have collective bargaining rights in West Virginia…
