This week the North Carolina General Assembly gaveled in for the 2026 short session, marking more than a decade of progress in making our state one of the most pro-growth, business-friendly climates in the nation. Our reputation as THE place to launch your business, headquarter a corporation, or find opportunity to put down roots and support your family.
We’ve been carving out that coveted spot in the economy by driving down taxes and welcoming high-paying jobs. But our right-to-work law, which protects workers from being forced to join a union as a condition of employment, is key. Under right-to-work, employees may join a union, but they cannot be required to.
But there is a problem: Those protections are only as strong as the next legislative majority.
North Carolina is one of 27 states with right-to-work laws, primarily in the South and Midwest. In other states, companies and labor unions can enter into contracts requiring employees to join the union or at least pay union dues. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation estimates that such arrangements, known as a “closed shop” and allowed under federal law, siphon off $4.5 billion in employee pay each year.
If policymakers are serious about preserving worker freedom and maintaining North Carolina’s competitive edge, they should place right-to-work protections directly into the state Constitution.
Right-to-work enjoys consistent majority support across public polling. Carolina Journal surveys have consistently shown that roughly 64% of North Carolina voters support enshrining right-to-work protections. That level of support cuts across regions and, in many cases, across party lines. This is a durable public consensus in favor of worker choice and economic freedom and should not remain vulnerable to the political winds.
A future General Assembly could repeal or weaken those protections with a simple majority vote. That reality creates uncertainty for workers, employers, and potential employers considering our state for growth.
Regardless of party, North Carolinians believe workers should not be compelled to join or fund a union, and constitutional amendment exists precisely for policies that are considered fundamental. It should be locked in at the highest level of state law.
Such an amendment shows that our labor framework is stable, pro-growth, certainly a draw as state leaders compete for economic development. More importantly, its clarity benefits workers by sparking competition for job creation and wage opportunities, not union negotiation.
Opponents of right-to-work insist that it suppresses wages or denies workers the power of collective bargaining. But the policy does not prohibit unions from operating, organizing, or negotiating on behalf of workers. It simply prevents mandatory membership or dues requirements.
At its core, right-to-work is about a basic principle: Workers should not be forced to financially support a private organization as a condition of employment.
Call it individual liberty, choice, or freedom of association; all of those are fundamental to the amendment, which would elevate right-to-work to a foundational principle of North Carolina’s economic and labor framework.
That matters for three reasons:
- It ensures long-term stability regardless of political shifts
- It strengthens North Carolina’s economic competitiveness
- It reflects consistent voter support for worker choice
When a policy is widely supported, already in place, and central to the state’s economic identity, constitutional protection is the logical next step.
