Boise, ID (June 27, 2012) – Staff attorneys from the nation’s premier advocate for workers who suffer from the abuses of compulsory unionism have filed an amicus curie brief in support of an Idaho law prohibiting state and local government agencies from imposing so-called project labor agreements (PLAs) that require unionized workers for public projects.

National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys filed the brief today in federal appeals court.

The “Open Access to Work Act” prohibits Idaho and all state governmental units from entering into taxpayer-funded contracts that require union-only workers.

Two building and construction unions challenged the law in U.S. District Court. The lower court’s decision regarding the matter is now being appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Last week, Foundation attorneys successfully overturned a Ninth Circuit of Appeals decision, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) violated the rights of nonunion state employees in the Knox case.

Foundation attorneys argue in their brief that not only does the Idaho law pass Constitutional muster under the U.S. Constitution, it also prevents state-sanctioned discrimination against the vast majority of construction workers who refrain from union membership.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 85 percent of America’s construction workers and 94 percent of Idaho’s workers refrain from formal union membership.

“The stats don’t lie, Idahoans’ choice regarding unionization is clear,” said Patrick Semmens, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “Unfortunately, union bosses are seeking a judicial bailout to stifle competition and protect their preferential treatment from pro-forced unionism public officials.”

Two other states have passed laws prohibiting union-only contracts from public projects – Iowa and Michigan. Michigan’s law is also being challenged before a federal appeals court.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.