[VIDEO] Tillis Pledged To Businesses, “North Carolina Will Continue To Be The Least Unionized State In The United States.” During a speech on opening day of the 2013 legislative session, Tillis said: “We must protect workers and they’re right to work. And we must send a very clear message to businesses already in North Carolina and those considering expanding here, that North Carolina will continue to be the least unionized state in the United States.” [Legislative Session Opening Day, 1/9/13]; 130110_MM_25503_A
2015: Tillis Voted To Overturn The National Labor Relations Board’s Rule Modifying Its Union Representation Election Procedures To Reduce Delays And Increase Transparency. In March 2015, Tillis voted for a joint resolution that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “provide[d] for congressional disapproval and nullification of the National Labor Relations Board [NLRB] rule relating to case representation procedures,” which, a separate Congressional Quarterly article explains, is “the process through which workers vote to unionize.” According to the NLRB, “The Final Rule will streamline Board procedures, increase transparency and uniformity across regions, eliminate or reduce unnecessary litigation, duplication and delay, and update the Board’s rules on documents and communications in light of modern communications technology.” The Senate adopted the joint resolution by a vote of 53 to 46. Afterwards, the House also adopted the resolution, but it was vetoed by the president. The Senate subsequently tabled the veto message. [Senate Vote 67, 3/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/4/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/13/15; National Labor Relations Board, 12/11/14; Congressional Actions, S. J. Res. 8]
Tillis Co-Sponsored The National Right To Work Act. According to a press release from Senator Rand Paul, “Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced the National Right to Work Act to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations or to refrain from such activities. […] The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roger Wicker (R-MS) Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Katie Britt (R-AL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Scott (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Mike Lee (R-UT).” [Press Release – Senator Rand Paul, 2/12/25]
Right To Work Legislation Diminishes Worker Unions’ Power. According to Common Dreams, “In so-called right-to-work (RTW) states, employees in unionized workplaces can opt out of paying union dues while still benefiting from the union's collective bargaining efforts. An Economic Policy Institute study published last year found that RTW states ‘have lower unionization rates, wages, and benefits compared with non-RTW states.’” [Common Dreams, 2/19/25]
Tillis Opposed An Increase To The Federal Minimum Wage, While Refusing To Say Whether He Thought North Carolina’s $7.25 Per Hour Minimum Wage Should Be Increased. According to The Hill, “Tillis also reiterated his opposition to an increase in the federal minimum wage, while repeatedly refusing to say whether he thought North Carolina’s $7.25 per hour minimum wage should be increased. ‘What I want to do is create jobs that make minimum wage irrelevant,’ he said, calling it a ‘defeatist mentality’ to focus on raising the minimum wage.” [The Hill, 5/7/14]
Tillis Believed Focusing On Raising The Minimum Wage A “Defeatist Mentality” When The Focus Should To “Create Jobs That Make Minimum Wage Irrelevant.” According to The Hill, “Tillis also reiterated his opposition to an increase in the federal minimum wage, while repeatedly refusing to say whether he thought North Carolina’s $7.25 per hour minimum wage should be increased. ‘What I want to do is create jobs that make minimum wage irrelevant,’ he said, calling it a ‘defeatist mentality’ to focus on raising the minimum wage.” [The Hill, 5/7/14]
In A 2010 Questionnaire From The North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation, Tillis Opposed Raising The Minimum Wage. According to the Hill, “State House Speaker Thom Tillis (R) wouldn’t say whether or not he supports raising North Carolina’s minimum wage in a Wednesday interview, but in 2010 he said he opposed it. The newly-minted GOP Senate nominee, responding to a North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation candidate questionnaire four years ago, circled ‘disagree’ when asked on the survey if he thought North Carolina’s General Assembly should raise the minimum wage. Unlike other questions on the survey, he didn’t write in any caveats or explanations.” [Hill, 5/8/14]
Tillis’ Spokesman Said Tillis Wanted Minimum Wage To Stay At $7.25. According to the Charlotte Observer, “Asked if the minimum wage should be done away with, Tillis replied: ‘Yeah, I think you should consider anything that frees up the market to create more jobs, but the reality is you can’t un-ring that bell, and you have to look at whether it creates destabilization in a market that’s already destabilized.’ His spokesman, Jordan Shaw, said Tillis wants the wage to stay at $7.25.” [Charlotte Observer, 3/20/14]
Tillis Said He Opposed Raising The Minimum Wage And Said It Was A “Dangerous Idea.” According to the News & Observer, “U.S. Senate candidate Thom Tillis on Wednesday said he opposes President Barack Obama’s plan to increase the federal minimum wage, calling it a ‘dangerous idea.’” [News & Observer, 2/26/14]
Tillis Said The Government Should Not Set The Minimum Wage. According to the News & Observer, “The Republican went even further to suggest government shouldn’t set a minimum wage, labeling it an ‘artificial threshold.’” [News & Observer, 2/26/14]
Tillis Did Not Answer What He Thought A Living Wage Was, But Said The Market Should Define What It Was. According to the News & Observer, “Asked what he considered a living wage, Tillis dodged. He pivoted to say private industry ought to answer the question. ‘I think for the most part the market needs to define that,’ he answered. ‘When we create artificial thresholds then you run into a big problem. And I think we need to know that a segment of the population relies on minimum wage, but there are a lot of jobs that go beyond the minimum wage.’” [News & Observer, 2/26/14]
[VIDEO] Tillis Claimed That A $15 Minimum Wage Would Be “Devastating.” “Also, we're talking about minimum wage. The $15 minimum wage would be devastating.” [Lake Norman Chamber Focus Friday, NC, 05/22/21]; 210522_CPM_2007
2015: Tillis Voted Against Raising The Federal Minimum Wage By An Unspecified Amount. In March 2015, Tillis voted against an amendment that, according to Congressional Quarterly, “would [have] create[d] a deficit neutral reserve fund to allow for legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage.” The Senate rejected the proposed amendment to its version of the FY 2016 budget resolution by a vote of 48 to 52. [Senate Vote 93, 3/26/15; Congressional Quarterly, 3/26/15; Congressional Actions, S. Amdt. 881; Congressional Actions, S. Con. Res. 11]