Republican West Virginia legislative leaders rammed a right-to-work bill into law early this year, and unions spent $1.4 million trying to kill the policy while pro-business groups mustered $374,500 to back the change.
The groups wrestled over the proposal on TV and radio, in direct-mail and Internet ads, in phone calls and elsewhere, according to state grassroots campaign reports.
In the end, the election-year outcome was predictable: lawmakers approved the bill largely along party lines and Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed it. Needing only a simple majority, the GOP then overrode Tomblin's veto, making right-to-work the law in West Virginia.
Under the new law, collective bargaining agreements drawn up or updated July 1 or later cannot require workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment. Unions already are required to represent every worker covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Until July 1, employees can be forced to pay dues but, under federal law, can't be forced to join the union.
West Virginia law requires disclosure reports from groups that spend at least a few hundred dollars on campaigns that address the public and seek to influence legislation. Three groups filed disclosures for campaigns in favor of right-to-work; six disclosed campaigns opposing it. Their costs included TV and radio ads, staffing, polling and paid phone calls.
Some groups also used their campaigns to address the repeal of the state's prevailing wage for public construction projects, another policy push that Republicans passed with a veto override. Unions were strongly opposed that repeal.
Right-to-work proponents say the policy can lure new businesses and give workers freedom over their relationship with unions. Opponents say it's all about diluting union bargaining influence by letting people enjoy benefits without paying dues, while offering no definite improvements to the economy.
In the right-to-work debate, a union group called Support WV Local Businesses Ltd. spent the most cash. Largely funded by the West Virginia's Affiliated Construction Trades, the group spent $760,100, including $628,800 on TV ads, against right-to-work and similar messages against the repeal of the state's prevailing wage.
Affiliated Construction Trades also spent $119,800 independently on TV ads, disclosures show.
Steve White, Affiliated Construction Trades president, said the amount spent seems like a lot, but it's hard to get a message to stick in today's cluttered world. He also said the lawmakers were dealing unions a "legislative death penalty."
The International Union of Operating Engineers, the state and national AFL-CIO and the AFL-CIO's Working America community affiliate also spent money opposing right-to-work, disclosures show.
"We had to take it seriously, knowing the deck was stacked against us," White said.
The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce spent almost $151,000, the most in favor of the change. Americans for Prosperity of West Virginia spent $115,200 in favor of right-to-work and West Virginia Business & Industry Council chipped in $108,300 to advocate for that policy and the repeal of prevailing wage.
"Given that there were some messages coming from the other side that seemed confusing, there really needed to be somebody countering those messages," said Chamber President Steve Roberts. "Sometimes, you don't have to counter a message dollar-for-dollar to make your point."