INDIANAPOLIS | Gov. Mitch Daniels' endorsement of a right-to-work law seems all but certain after the board of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. voted unanimously Thursday to support the labor policy.

"These folks work all the time, as a staff and as a board, to bring jobs to the state, and they say we're missing a third to half of all the opportunities because we don't provide this protection," Daniels said. "It's a very important point to pay attention to."

The Republican governor is chairman of the IEDC board but did not vote on the right-to-work resolution. He's scheduled to announce his position on right-to-work next week.

During board discussion at the governor's residence, Daniels spoke positively about the findings of a Republican-led legislative study committee that said right-to-work will bring more jobs to Indiana. Right-to-work exempts nonunion members at a union employer from paying fees for services they receive from the union.

IEDC CEO Dan Hasler said enacting right-to-work would be the "single, probably greatest thing that can happen for us" in terms of luring companies considering relocating.

"Our worst losses are not after we've had a chance to sell Indiana; our worst losses are when we don't get a chance to sell Indiana," Hasler said. "We've got to have more shots on goal, that's all there is to it."

Democrats and labor union officials contend right-to-work is intended to defund and destroy unions. They also cite studies showing right-to-work reduces wages and benefits for union and nonunion workers.

Daniels told the board right-to-work does not limit unions from continuing to organize and pointed out several right-to-work states have greater union membership rates than Indiana.

"It would be a very different thing if it was being suggested that the right to organize be limited in some way," Daniels said.