Union family to MO legislator: ‘RTW would hurt us’

Had it not been for the Shuey family’s union affiliation, life would have been much different, and not in a positive way.

That’s why Christina Shuey took the time to send an email to Mo. Rep. Bryan Spencer (R-Wentzville) asking him to fight RTW. Spencer, who voted against HB 116 in May, recently changed his mind based on the results of a recent survey in his district.

Here in part is Shuey’s letter to Spencer:

“The reason I am writing is that I understand that it’s your desire to ‘listen to the people.’ I am one of those people and would like to tell you that if Right to Work passes, it will hurt me and many in my family.

“I am proud to say that we have never received any government help, not even unemployment benefits, ever. One reason is due to our affiliation with the union. I am fairly certain that, would have it not been this way, I would have been exhausting every state and federal assistance available.”

UAW LOCAL 2250

Shuey’s husband Tom, a member of UAW Local 2250, retired from General Motors in Wentzville in 2008 after 30 years of service. The couple married in 1984 and had two children.

After their youngest child entered kindergarten, Christina decided to go back to school. She received a degree in deaf communications in 2000 and worked part time as a sign language interpreter for 15 years. The couple was also able to send one of their daughters to college.

DECENT PAY AND BENEFITS

“We paid for that all out of pocket, and had it not been for the union, we would have never been able to do it,” Shuey said. “Tom had decent pay and hours as well as healthcare and other benefits, and now that he’s retired, he has his UAW pension.”

In light of the upcoming veto session regarding the so-called Right-to-Work bill, Shuey is encouraging others to contact their legislators to explain how unions have helped their families and to ask them to fight Right to Work in Missouri.

HOW ARE YOU FIGHTING RTW?

How will the right-to-work legislative veto session Sept. 16 to override Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon’s rejection of this anti-worker law impact you, your job, your paycheck, your family, our state’s economy? Are you positng signs, writing letters or doing anything else to fight it? Let us know!

Send your story and photos to with your name, union local and hometown to Labor Tribune Editor Tim Rowden at tim@labortribune.com.