Jefferson City – Despite relentless pressure from national front groups, anti-worker right-to-work legislation in the Missouri House failed to get the necessary votes today to advance to Senate.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) drafted legislation was exposed as the deceptive and destructive anti-worker fraud that it is.

Extremists, led by ALEC-backed Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka) failed to achieve the 82 votes needed to advance the measure, falling short with only 78 votes in support.

Still, this doesn’t mean the fight is over. The bill is expected to come up again tomorrow for a third reading, and could still pass if anti-worker forces can muster the necessary votes.

Here’s what happened:

Extremists, led by ALEC-backed Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka) failed to achieve the 82 votes needed to advance the measure, falling short with only 78 votes in support.

The bill was technically “perfected” by a 78-68 vote, but bills need 82 votes in the House before it can be sent to the Senate.

A significant block of Republican leaders stood with Democratic representatives to stop the bill, rebuking the Koch Brothers, Grover Norquist, ALEC and other extremists.

Speaker Jones and Majority Floor Leader John Diehl, both local ALEC leaders, were defeated by an impressive bipartisan alliance of Representatives who stood with working families and against national conservative front groups driving the anti-worker attacks.

“Today’s defeat of ALEC’s so-called ‘right to work’ legislation demonstrates that Missourians on both sides of the aisle realize that attacking workers on behalf of Wall Street extremists is wrong for Missouri. This is a good day,” said Sean Soendker Nicholson, Executive Director of Progress Missouri. “We urge members of the General Assembly to reject anti-worker legislation and instead focus on building an economy that works for all Missourians.”

Today’s vote was a victory for Missouri workers, but the fight isn’t over.

Call your representative at 888-825-1418 and ask them to vote “No” on RTW and other anti-worker measures.