Wisconsin Business Groups Disagree On Right To Work

Wisconsin’s small businesses seem split on right-to-work legislation: Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce is in favor of it, but another group that represents small, local businesses is not.

The Wisconsin Business Alliance, a nonpartisan nonprofit group, said many business owners are not calling for the law. Lori Compas is a lobbyist who reached out to 31 local Chambers of Commerce, focusing on counties that are represented by Republican state senators who favor right to work.

She spoke to 16 chamber officials, all of whom said they were not taking a position.

“They understand that this is a contentious issue and they’re not willing to take sides. So the takeaway from that is that local Chambers of Commerce are not asking for right to work,” she said.

Compas said the Business Alliance is against it.

Among the chambers contacted for this story, Fond Du Lac responded that it hasn’t had time to form a position. Chambers in Green Bay and Racine are in support of right to work. All three counties are represented by Republican state senators.