84 Diverse New Hampshire Faith Leaders Support Effective Unions and Urge the NH House to Reject S.B. 61 (the so-called “right to work” bill) as an Attempt to Divide Workers and Weaken Unions

We, the undersigned leaders and members of diverse New Hampshire faith communities, call on you to vote S.B. 61 as inexpedient to legislate.

We reject this bill based on the united voice of our many faith traditions, including Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox Christian, Protestant and Unitarian Universalist members.

In the words of four New Hampshire rabbis:

As Faith in Public Life wrote in an amici curiae brief in the Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, “labor unions are critical components of a just society.” They added, “religious authors have long recognized that effective bargaining requires an effective means for unions to collect the funds that they need to operate.”

The “right to work” bill, S.B. 61, is an attempt to weaken the ability of working people to organize. It would divide workers wherever unions exist so that their collective voice is substantially diminished. As Jews, we stand with all working people and oppose S.B. 61.

The Catholic Diocese of Manchester answered “no” to these questions with the following conclusion:

Does SB 61 benefit the common good? Does SB 61provide a just balance between the interests of workers and the interests of employers? Does SB 61protect the natural right of workers to assemble and form associations?

In our view, SB 61 would have the effect of substantially diminishing the ability of unions to carry out their duties, and we think that these questions produce answers in the negative. Therefore, we respectfully oppose SB 61,and we ask that you recommend it as inexpedient to legislate.

Finally, the New Hampshire Council of Churches wrote,

All of [our] traditions express Biblical and historic support for labor unions and the right of workers to organize for better conditions. The “right to work” bill, S.B. 61, is an attempt to weaken the ability of working people to organize…. It would divide workers wherever unions exist so that their collective voice is substantially diminished. All of the Council’s traditions urge that we support labor unions and collective bargaining and to strengthen (not weaken) them when we are able.

Standing in solidarity with New Hampshire faith communities and working families, we urge together that the House oppose S.B. 61 and again defeat “right to work” in our state.

See the full statements from faith leaders at nhchurches.org/sb61

1. Rev. Jason Wells, NH Council of Churches
2. Bishop A. Robert Hirschfeld, Episcopal Church of New Hampshire
3. Rev. Gordon Rankin, New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ
4. Bishop James Hazelwood, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, New England Synod
5. Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar, New England Conference of The United Methodist Church
6. Ahmed Gabir, Muslim, President of Sudanese Community of New Hampshire, Manchester
7. Rev. Allen Hoyt, First Congregational Church (UCC), Milford
8. Rev. Allison Palm, Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua
9. Rev. Amanda Lape-Freeberg, The Church of Christ at Dartmouth College (UCC), Hanvoer
10. Rev. Andrew MacLeod, Bristol United Church of Christ
11. Sister Assunta Riley, Sisters of Mercy, Nashua
12. Barbara Carbonneau, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Goffstown
13. Rabbi Beth D. Davidson, Auburn
14. Rev. Bill Beardslee, United Church of Christ, Warner
15. Rev. Bill Petersen, All Saints Episcopal Church, Wolfeboro
16. Candace Cole-McCrea, Gonic Friends Meeting, Milton
17. Rev. Celeste McQuarrie, Concord
18. Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen, Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord
19. Rev. Cheryl Moore, Episcopal Church, Bow
20. Deacon Chris Potter, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Manchester
21. Claudia Istel, Secretary, Economic Justice Mission Group, NH Conference of the United Church of Christ, Acworth
22. Rev. Curtis E. Metzger, Episcopal Church, Littleton
23. Rev. Cynthia Bagley, The United Church of Christ in Keene
24. Rabbi Daniel Aronson, Congregation Ahavas Achim, Keene
25. Rev. David Grishaw-Jones, Community Church of Durham
26. Rev. Dr. Dawn Berry, First Congregational Church of Hopkinton (UCC)
27. Denise Ginzler, Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Greenville
28. Venerable Derek Scalia, Episcopal Church, Keene
29. Sister Eileen Brady, Sisters of Mercy, Nashua
30. Rev. Eliza Tweedy, First Church Congregational, Rochester
31. Elizabeth Marshall, Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Rindge
32. Rev. Elsa Worth, St. James Episcopal Church, Keene
33. Rev. Emily Burr, Starr King Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Plymouth
34. Rev. Dr. Emily C. Heath, Congregational Church (UCC), Exeter
35. Ethel McConaghy, United Church of Christ, Center Barnstead
36. Evan A. Oxenham, Chair of Leadership Team, Meriden Congregational Church, Plainfield
37. Rev. Dr. Gail Kinney, Meriden Congregational Church (UCC)
38. Rev. Heidi C. Heath, United Church of Christ, Exeter
39. James L. Giddings, Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Greenville
40. Jana Sellarole, Walpole United Church of Christ
41. Rev. Jennie Anderson, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Norwich, VT
42. Pastor Jennifer Savoy, Weare
43. Jeremiah T Dickinson, Dover Friends Meeting
44. Rev. John Gregory-Davis, Meriden Congregational Church (UCC)
45. Rev. John Hogue, United Church of Christ, N. Conway
46. Rev. Jonathan K. Hopkins, Concordia Lutheran Church, Concord
47. Chaplain Judith A. Wood, Hopkinton
48. Rev. Kate Harmon Siberine, Grace Episcopal Church in East Concord and the Episcopal Mission of Franklin, Franklin
49. Kate Kerman, Clerk, Ministry and Counsel, Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Marlborough
50. Rabbi Kaya Stern-Kaufman, Portsmouth
51. Rev. Kendra Ford, First Unitarian Universalist Society of Exeter
52. Kevin Woolley, Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Fitzwilliam
53. Khalil Abdullah, Upper Valley Muslim Community, Lebanon
54. Rev. Kimberly S. C. Hester, Christ the King Lutheran Church (ELCA), Nashua
55. Rev. Kurt A Walker, Deerfield Community Church
56. Lindsay Dearborn, Clerk, Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Hanover Friends Meeting,
57. Sister Madonna Madonna, Sisters of Mercy, Manchester
58. Maggie Fogarty, American Friends Service Committee, Concord
59. Margaret Hawthorn, M. Div., Monadnock Quaker Meeting, Rindge
60. Sister Mary Ellen Foley, Sisters of Mercy, Manchester
61. Rev. Mary James, United Church of Christ, Durham
62. Rev. Michael F. Hall, Keene Unitarian Universalist Church
63. Michael Sauve, Episcopal Church, Loudon
64. Rev. Patrick McLaughlin, Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester
65. Peter G. Henry, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Londonderry, NH
66. Rabbi Peter S. Levy, Derry
67. Rabbi Rabbi Robin Nafshi, Temple Beth Jacob, Concord
68. Rev. Rev. Kate Atkinson, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Concord
69. Rev. Robert Grabill, Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, UCC, Hanover
70. Rev. Robert Vodra, First Congregational Church of Dunbarton
71. Ron Rene, Eckert Catholic Worker, Manchester
72. Sister Rosemary Burnham, Sisters of Mercy, Hudson
73. Sandra Straus, Missions Chairperson, United Church of Christ, Madbury
74. Rev. Scott Masters, Asbury United Methodist Church, Keene/Chesterfield
75. Deacon Stephen Ekerberg, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Concord
76. Rev. Susan Gregory-Davis, Meriden Congregational Church (UCC)
77. Rev. Susan P Thomas, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lebanon
78. Rev. Tara Olsen Allen, Pilgrim United Church of Christ, Brentwood
79. Rev. Teresa Gocha, Episcopal Church of the Messiah, N. Woodstock
80. Thomas M. Julius, Chairperson, Monadnock Interfaith Project, Gilsum
81. Rev. Traceymay Kalvaitis, United Church of Christ in Harrisville and in Dublin
82. Tristan K. Husby, Executive Director, Unitarian Universalist Action NH, Nashua
83. Cantor Wendy Shermet, Emerita Temple Israel, Omaha NE, Gilford
84. Rev. William Exner, Episcopal Church, Goffstown