A Labor Policy Roadmap and Workforce Opportunities: Alan Jernigan on Voice of Reason
This report is about giving workers the freedom to make decisions and kind of find their own path and their own version of the American dream.
Alan Jernigan, ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Manager, spoke with host Andy Hooser on Voice of Reason about how the new States That Work: A Labor Policy Roadmap Across America report, which ranks states based on their labor policies.
Jernigan highlighted the connection between pro-worker policies and increased productivity, also emphasizing ALEC’s focus on worker freedom and economic mobility.
“This report is about giving workers the freedom to make decisions and find their own path and their own version of the American dream.”
Jernigan then explained that state-level policies can significantly impact productivity by giving workers and businesses more choices.
“There are fifty different laboratories of democracy, so giving the states and the workers in those states’ kind of the opportunity and the freedom to really do what they want and find success in their own way.”
The discussion than turned to how the report examines various aspects of the labor infrastructure such as right-to-work protections, secret ballot protections, independent contractor status, and occupational licensing.
“We wanted to do a snapshot that not only tells the stories of the workers, but also businesses,” Jernigan said. “We look at private sector worker policies, from right-to-work, secret ballot protections, independent contractors, looking at occupational licensing, all allowing workers to move freely between states, while keeping the public safety and health in mind.”
Hooser than spoke about the actions being taken in the top and bottom performing states that has impacted their rankings. Jernigan highlighted how the top ranked states share common policies, such as right-to-work laws and limiting government interference.
“These states have really prioritized protecting their workers’ rights and limiting government interference, kind of getting government out of the way, letting the businesses and workers find what works best, because they know best.”
The conversation concluded with a focus on the future of workforce policies. Jernigan reiterated the importance of worker freedom and flexibility in driving productivity and economic success.
“At the end of the day, it’s the workers. How do you give the workers this freedom and flexibility to want to come to your state… and find the opportunities that are best, not just for them, but their families as well.