Garrity and the ‘right to work’

At the event, political leaders criticized Garrity for accepting an endorsement by the political arm of the Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade association representing the construction industry, which supports “right-to-work” legislation that prohibits labor agreements that require members of a staff to join a union or pay dues, even if a staff won the right to organize.

Unions often argue that wages are lower in “right-to-work” states a contention supported by some research. However, the precise effect remains debated because right-to-work states differ from other states in their industries, living costs and other labor policies.

Davis pledged that Pennsylvania would not adopt a right-to-work law while he and Shapiro remain in office.

“Pennsylvania will never be a right to work state under our watch,” he said at the event.

Garrity has not made enacting right-to-work legislation a central proposal of her gubernatorial campaign. Her campaign has accused Shapiro of being too closely aligned with building-trades unions and has argued that Pennsylvania needs to expand workforce opportunities beyond traditional union apprenticeship programs.

Shapiro has secured endorsements from several of Pennsylvania’s largest labor organizations in his bid for a second term, including the state’s largest labor federation, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, and the state’s largest teachers union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association.

However, Garrity has not yet announced comparable support from a major, traditional labor union in the race. The divide is markedly different from 2024, when the Philadelphia Building Trades, the Pennsylvania Laborers and other labor groups crossed party lines to support Garrity for treasurer.

The current realignment underscores the difference between the state treasurer’s race and a contest in which labor organizations view one of their closest political allies as being directly threatened.

Boyer said the building trades remain willing to endorse candidates from either party, but argued that Garrity forfeited their support by challenging Shapiro and aligning herself with groups hostile to organized labor.

“I’m not an R or a D,” Boyer said. “I’m a J for a job or O for an opportunity.”

The gubernatorial election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.