FROM STAFF REPORTS

PELHAM – The Business Council of Alabama, the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, and the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce presented state Rep. Arnold Mooney the Business Champion Award for his leadership that led to November 2016 passage of the Right-To-Work constitutional amendment.

Shelby County Chamber President AND CEO Kirk Mancer and Nathan Lindsay, the BCA’s vice president of political affairs and regional operations, executive director of ProgressPAC, presented the award to Mooney, R-Birmingham, at the Pelham Civic Complex.

“Rep. Mooney and many BCA and business-community members worked hard to bring this amendment to reality,” BCA President and CEO William J. Canary said. “We thank Rep. Arnold Mooney for sponsoring the amendment and the House and Senate for sending it to voters.”

Alabama has had a right-to-work law since 1953. In November 2016, Alabama became the ninth state with a Right-To-Work constitutional amendment when voters overwhelmingly approved the amendment. “Businesses located in heavily unionized states have chosen to move operations and locate their facilities in right-to-work Alabama due to the ability to compete in the global marketplace,” Canary said.

Alabama’s right-to-work status prevents employees who choose not to join a union from being forced to pay union dues. By establishing a constitutional amendment, a future Legislature will have to approve it by a difficult three-fifths vote and send it to voters.

Mooney was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives on Nov. 4, 2014. The Samford University graduate is a commercial Realtor and an associate broker.

The Business Champion Award recognizes legislators for their support of policies that better Alabama’s business climate and the lives of employees, families and citizens.

The BCA, Alabama’s foremost voice for business, is a non-partisan statewide business association representing the interests and concerns of nearly 1 million working Alabamians through its member companies and its partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama.

The BCA is Alabama’s exclusive affiliate to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.