Nevada AG Aaron Ford Pledges to Force Workers into Unions by Repealing Right-to-Work

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Democratic frontrunner challenging Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo in the 2026 gubernatorial race, has explicitly pledged to repeal Nevada’s 1953 right-to-work law if elected—signing legislation on day one of his term. 

The vow, delivered during a December 2025 podcast interview with construction union leaders, marks a sharp departure from past statewide Democrats who largely avoided the politically radioactive issue.   

“I ain’t waiting,” Ford declared. “The moment you send it to me—first term, I ain’t waiting. It can be done legislatively. They can send me a bill. And if they send it to me, I’m signing it.” He framed the repeal as honoring “world-class workers” who “built the middle class,” positioning himself as “the most pro-worker Governor in our state’s history.” Union leaders praised the commitment, with one calling the current law “anti-worker to the bone” and Ford as the “pivotal piece” to turn Nevada into a blue state, as nearly 100 percent of union dues are used to elect Democrats. Ford’s stance earned him endorsements from labor groups that have long pushed for repeal.   

Nevada’s right-to-work statute, passed by voters in 1953 and upheld against multiple repeal attempts, prohibits forced union membership or dues as a condition of employment. It protects workers’ freedom to opt out while still allowing them to benefit from collective bargaining if they choose. Twenty-seven states maintain similar protections; California is not among them.  

In stark contrast, California operates without right-to-work protections, empowering unions—particularly in the public sector—to extract mandatory dues and wield outsized political influence. As the California Globe has repeatedly documented, this framework has produced chronic problems: taxpayer-funded strikes that hold essential services hostage, ballooning pension obligations, and a symbiotic relationship between Democratic politicians and union bosses that prioritizes labor’s agenda over fiscal sanity and worker choice.  

Public-sector unions in California enjoy monopoly leverage over government services like education and transit, where no private alternatives exist. Recent examples include multi-day strikes by the Los Angeles Unified School District’s SEIU Local 99 and United Teachers Los Angeles, which disrupted instruction for hundreds of thousands of students while demanding—and ultimately securing—massive wage and benefit hikes at taxpayer expense. The California Globe detailed how such actions exacerbate insolvency risks in already struggling districts, turning students and families into mere leverage points in negotiations.   

National unions further complicate the picture, often hijacking local politics with out-of-state money and ideological mandates that ignore community needs, as the California Globe reported in coverage of union-driven contracts that drain municipal budgets and stifle small businesses.  

Post-Janus v. AFSCME (2018), which affirmed public employees’ First Amendment right to refuse union dues, California unions have aggressively circumvented worker protections through gag rules, surveillance, and political spending—issues the National Right to Work Foundation has repeatedly litigated in the state. 

Ford’s repeal promise would force Nevada workers in unionized shops to subsidize unions or face termination—mirroring California’s compulsory model. Economic analyses, including a 2022 National Bureau of Economic Research study cited in coverage of the Nevada law, link right-to-work statutes to modestly lower unionization rates and slight wage adjustments, but also to greater economic flexibility and job growth. Nevada’s business community, led by the Las Vegas Chamber, has long defended the law as empowering individual choice and keeping the state competitive. Gov. Lombardo has consistently opposed repeal, calling right-to-work a benefit to both labor and employers.   

This latest pledge fits a pattern the California Globe has chronicled in Ford’s gubernatorial bid. In January 2026, this outlet reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom—the architect of the very policies driving businesses and residents out of his state—endorsed Ford in a joint fundraising appeal, hailing him as an ideological ally. Ford has addressed the powerful Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and embraced “woke” DEI initiatives while championing soft-on-crime measures like AB 236, which critics say mirrored California’s Prop 47 disaster and contributed to retail theft spikes.   

Ford’s campaign has also drawn scrutiny for heavy reliance on out-of-state progressive donors via ActBlue, frequent luxury travel totaling nearly $140,000 in campaign funds, and multi-state lawsuits often coordinated with California against the Trump administration. As the California Globe noted in prior reporting, Ford’s jet-setting and alliances raise questions about whether he is “laser-focused on protecting Nevadans” or exporting failed progressive experiments. 

Speaking of failed progressive experiments, former Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to headline a luncheon fundraiser for Ford’s gubernatorial campaign in Las Vegas on May 7. Harris lost Nevada to President Donald Trump by three points. The fundraise underscores Ford’s continued reliance on high-profile out-of-state support as he pushes progressive priorities in Nevada. If governor, he will be backed by an equally-progressive legislative majority.

Nevada voters have rejected right-to-work repeal attempts for decades, even when Democrats controlled the Legislature and governor’s office. Ford’s opponent in the primary, Alexis Hill, has similarly criticized the law, but Ford’s high-profile commitment elevates the issue heading into the general election.  

If enacted, Ford’s policy would represent the most explicit step yet toward the “Californianization” of Nevada—a trend this outlet has warned against as the Silver state absorbs California refugees fleeing high taxes, crime, and regulatory burdens. 

Nevada’s right-to-work law has helped preserve worker freedom and economic edge. Repealing it risks handing unions the same unchecked power that has strained California’s budget, schools, and businesses—forcing Nevadans to foot the bill.