CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia has a lower cost-of-doing-business index than any of the five states that touch our borders, yet the state Chamber of Commerce and a state senator hanker to see our work force play the "how low can you go" game.

It's mystifying that Steve Roberts of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Sen. Karen Facemyer, who heads the Polymer Alliance Zone in Jackson, Mason and Wood counties, are trying to advance "right-to-work" legislation in the Mountain State.

The respected Milken Institute, which describes itself as an independent "nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank," combines and compares factors like wage costs, tax burdens, energy costs, office costs per square foot and industrial rent costs across the country. Its study arrived at our low cost-of-doing-business index and our ranking among neighboring states is a terrific selling point for prospective investors.

Yet, rather than embracing the good news, Sen. Facemyer says if we can demonstrate to outsiders that we're willing to work for less money and fewer benefits it will "add another tool to our economic development toolbox" in attracting jobs and investment.

Roberts, well, he often struggles to keep calm when somebody is trying to cut our work force a break. He's angry that Sen. Jay Rockefeller supports the American Jobs Act. He got steamed when, near the end of his career, Sen. Robert Byrd made it easier for disabled miners to get their black lung compensation.

He seems pretty sure that when an average worker makes a decent living it somehow makes it harder on fellows like him.

Sen. Facemyer says prospective developers sometimes ask her if we are a "right-to-work" state. In reality, "right-to-work" laws are pretty far down their list of priorities. What prospective companies need is access to supply lines and markets via rails, modern highways and airports.

A commitment to building infrastructure. A skilled and willing work force. Low energy costs. Quality public services and schools, and quality of life. They seek a working partnership with state and local government. And, oh yes -- raw materials. West Virginia has massive amounts of gas, coal, hardwood timber and water. More than practically anyone in our region.

Clearly, West Virginia has a lot to offer developers and businesses alike.

Rather than improving local economies, "right-to-work" laws often have negative consequences. The average worker in a "right-to-work" state earns about $5,333 a year less than other workers. Health insurance coverage for the families in "right-to-work" states is much lower. Workplace deaths and injuries are about 51 percent higher, largely because unions can't speak up on workers' behalf. West Virginia already has a very low per capita income rate. Can we really make things better by offering to lower it even further?

Because of our unions, we have an outstanding, well-trained work force ready to step in and do a top-quality job when an ethane cracker plant is constructed in West Virginia. Such a project will require many highly skilled construction workers, and ours are second to none. These union workers earn as they learn during their training, and enter the work force with no tuition loans to pay off. They must pass a drug test in order to be certified, and they are required to take periodic updated training.

Union workers do higher-quality work, which means their projects are more often on time and on budget because they get it right the first time. This quality assurance helps contractors to be more competitive in bidding new jobs.

Given the opportunity, West Virginia's workers can compete with anybody, anywhere, on any project. That's what I call having valuable tools in our economic development toolbox.

Perdue is president of the West Virginia AFL-CIO, a group of more than 575 unions.