Do Unions Harm America's Economy? Labor, Business Experts Split

This week, CNBC is counting down America’s Top States for Business.

On Monday, CNBC’s Scott Cohn reported from No. 5: North Carolina, a right-to-work state. On “Power Lunch,” Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Committee, and Marybeth Maxwell, director of American Rights at Work, joined Cohn and CNBC’s Bill Griffeth to debate whether non-union states are better for business.

Current union membership in the United States is 12%, down from 20% in 1983. “Workers are not choosing compulsory unionism across the country. It just does not work economically. Freedom works and freedom in the workplace works, absolutely,” said Mix.

“In this 21st century global economy, what we need is more collaboration. We can have profitable business and a strong middle class in the U.S. -- and that means respecting workers’ rights,” said Maxwell.

Tune in to “Power Lunch” Tuesday, when CNBC’s Top States for Business series continues.