Tennessee News & Legislation

Right to Work State

Tennessee is a Right to Work State. Employees who work in Tennessee, except on federal property or for a railway or airline, have a right to resign from union membership and not pay union dues or fees. If you are an employee in Tennessee and have legal questions regarding your union membership, click here to learn about your rights.

Tennessee Right to Work News

» Another Big Labor Appeaser Bites the Dust

September 10, 2008 - In Tennessee, GOP Primary Voters Say 'No' to Incumbent David Davis (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Another Automaker Expands Into Tennessee

August 13, 2008 - Despite National Malaise, Right to Work States Keep Gaining Jobs (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Call Him 'Brad "Nowhere to Flee" Sherman'

August 6, 2008 - Launch of Right to Work Repeal Tips Big Labor's Hand For 2009 (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Families Flee Compulsory-Unionism States

May 26, 2008 - 'Right to Work States Are Simply Better For Raising Children' (PDF viewer required to view this document)

» Committee PAC Aids Pro-Right to Work Candidates

April 7, 2008 - Union Bosses Have Already Begun Their Federal Electoral Assault (PDF viewer required to view this document)

Tennessee Congressional Representatives

Contact your Tennessee Congressmen to voice your support for Right to Work! We need help from grassroots supporters like you to protect workers' rights and to stop Big Labor's rampant abuses. If you don't know your Tennessee Congressional District, enter your ZIP Code and your ZIP+4 extension below to look it up:

 - 

Tennessee Legislative Alerts

Click here to access legislative alerts for Tennessee.

Tennessee Right to Work Law

Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 50-1-201 through 204

§ 50-1-201. Denial of employment because of affiliation or nonaffiliation with labor union. -- It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association of any kind to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person by reason of such person's membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization of any kind. (Enacted 1947.)

§ 50-1-202. Contracting for exclusion from employment because of affiliation or nonaffiliation with labor union. -- It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association of any kind to enter into any contract, combination or agreement, written or oral, providing for exclusion from employment of any person because of membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization of any kind. (Enacted 1947.)

§ 50-1-203. Exclusion from employment for payment of or failure to pay union dues. -- It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association of any kind to exclude from employment any person by reason of such person's payment of or failure to pay dues, fees, assessments, or other charges to any labor union or employee organization of any kind. (Enacted 1947.)

§ 50-1-204. Penalty. -- (a) Any person, firm, corporation, or association of any kind violating any of the provisions of this part commits a Class A misdemeanor.

(b) Each day that any person, firm, corporation or association of any kind remains in violation of any of the provisions of this part is deemed to be a separate and distinct offense, punishable in accordance with the provisions of this section. (Enacted 1947.)

NOTE: State laws are in a constant state of flux. Before relying on the text of any state Right to Work statute, you should check the most recent edition of your state laws.