Labor & Employment (Collective Bargaining)

This bill proposes adding a new section to the North Carolina Constitution to establish a "right to work" for all residents. The key provision states that a person's right to work cannot be denied based on whether they are a member of a labor union or pay union dues. If approved by voters in a 2026 referendum, the amendment would legally protect employees from being forced to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. The bill also authorizes the state legislature to pass additional laws to define and implement these protections.

SB 47 would eliminate the ability for North Carolina state employees, local government workers, and public school staff to have dues paid through automatic payroll deductions to their employee associations. Currently, employees could authorize such deductions if their association met specific membership thresholds (e.g., 2,000 members with 500 state/local employees). The bill repeals this provision, meaning employees would no longer be able to set up automatic payroll deductions for association dues. This change directly affects all covered state and public sector employees who previously used this method to pay dues.

This bill amends North Carolina's workplace violence prevention laws to include "mass picketing" as a form of unlawful conduct. It defines mass picketing as any picketing that obstructs entry to or exit from a workplace or public roads. The bill expands the definition of "unlawful conduct" to include hindering work or blocking access through mass picketing. This allows employers to seek civil no-contact orders against individuals engaging in these newly defined unlawful acts. The legislation explicitly states it does not apply to union activities or labor disputes protected by federal law.