Michigan set to pass right-to-work law

Daily News Article — Posted on December 10, 2012

(by Andrea Billups, The Washington Times) LANSING, Mich. – After weeks of speculation, Michigan’s Republican-controlled Legislature and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday pushed ahead with a bill to make this historic labor stronghold a right-to-work state, sparking a clash in the state Capitol and setting up what could be an epic fight watched by union and management supporters nationwide. [“Right-to-Work” is a state law that prohibits employers and unions from requiring an employee to pay dues or fees to a union in order to keep his or her job. Currently, 23 states have right-to-work laws. While right-to-work laws do not allow individual workers to negotiate their own contracts, they do protect a worker from having to involuntarily support a union.]

As police outside pushed back some protesters with pepper spray, the GOP-dominated state House of Representatives, by a 58-52 vote, quickly approved the Workplace Equity and Fairness Act, which would end mandatory union-dues collection at any Michigan company and would apply to public [government] and private workers with the exception of firefighters and police. [Michigan would change from being a “closed shop” state to a “right-to-work” state. A “closed shop” state is one in which persons are required to join a particular union as a precondition to employment and to remain union members for the duration of their employment.]

Later Thursday, the state Senate, where Republicans hold a…26-12 margin, also passed the legislation.

It would make Michigan the 24th state in the nation to adopt a right-to-work law, 10 months after neighboring Indiana adopted one.

State police officers were out in full force at the domed Statehouse, employing at times a chemical spray on aggressive protesters who tried to push their way into the Senate chamber. Eight protesters were arrested as they converged on the Capitol.

Police said about 3,000 people were at the Statehouse by Thursday afternoon, with some chanting in the rotunda and others, many wearing hard hats and holding signs, gathering on the lawn.

Witnesses reported that chanting, whistling protesters flooded the building and grounds as the governor and his allies pressed for quick votes on measures that would prohibit unions from collecting fees from workers who [do not want to join the union]. Under state law, the bill must sit for five days before the Senate can move ahead for a vote.

Acknowledging that the legislation was moving ahead “whether I want it to be there or not,” Mr. Snyder, joined by House Speaker James “Jase” Bolger and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, said Thursday morning that the time has come for decisions on such a bill. The first-term governor, a businessman and relative moderate in the party, previously resisted endorsing the law for fear it would provoke a divisive, distracting political fight.

By midafternoon, citing security concerns and the rising number of people inside the building, police blocked entry to the Capitol, keeping out union leaders including American Federation of Teachers-Michigan President David Hecker, Michigan State AFL-CIO President Karla Swift and United Auto Workers President Bob King.

Democrats in the state Senate staged a walkout Thursday after the measure was passed by a 22-16 margin. The Republicans left in the chamber went on approve a similar bill affecting public-sector unions on a 22-4 vote.

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley had to gavel the Senate to order repeatedly as Democrats played to the applause of the packed gallery as they futilely denounced the legislation. One demonstrator shouted “Heil Hitler! Heil Hitler! That’s what you people are” as he was taken out of the gallery.

Supporters of the measure include Americans for Prosperity-Michigan members, who have mounted a grass-roots campaign. They manned an information tent at the Statehouse this week, calling the right-to-work law pro-freedom.

They note the law would not stop anyone from joining a union or limit their right to collective bargaining. But unions have long fought such laws because they prevent unions from forcing workers at [companies that have unions] to join the union or pay mandatory dues as a condition of their employment.

Gov. Snyder has also noted that Indiana has enjoyed a competitive advantage in attracting business and investment since it passed its own law.

The Midwest has long been a bastion for industrial unions such as the UAW [United Auto Workers], but the labor movement has suffered a string of defeats. In Wisconsin, Republican Gov. Scott Walker survived a union-led recall battle over his move to curb collective bargaining for public-sector [government] employees. Indiana’s vote for a right-to-work law was quickly followed by the rejection by Michigan voters last month of [a ballot measure proposed by the unions] that would have enshrined collective bargaining as a right in the state constitution.

“A victory over forced unionization in a union stronghold like Michigan would be an unprecedented win on par with Wisconsin that would pave the way for right to work in states across our nation,” AFP-Michigan Executive Director Scott Hagerstrom said in a statement.

Unions, he added, have “overreached in Michigan when they tried to strong-arm their way into our constitution,” citing the vote on Proposal 2, the ballot measure that would have enshrined collective bargaining into the state’s constitution. It failed on a 57 percent to 42 percent vote.

“Early unions fought for better pay, safer working conditions and shorter work hours – protections now mostly granted by federal and state law,” Mr. Hagerstrom said. “Unfortunately, today’s unions have become a force for higher spending and taxes. Freedom in the workplace would ensure that unions are not able to [force] workers who do not support their big-government agenda [to pay union dues].” …

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.

Questions

NOTE TO STUDENTS: This is an important issue to understand. Read the "Background" below the questions. Also, under "Resources" check out the link to the FAQs on "right to work" vs. "closed shop" states, and watch the videos.

Many people who oppose union membership do so because a percentage of their union dues are spent on elections: unions donate to support Democratic candidates and the Democratic or liberal side of a controversial issue like same-sex marriage laws. These employees say that their dues should not be used to support political candidates or social issues/policies, but just be used for the original purpose of unions: collective bargaining.

1. a) If passed into law, what would Michigan's proposed Workplace Equity and Fairness Act do?
b) What would it not do? (see para. 13)

2. a) Which party holds a majority in each state house? By what number do they hold the majority in each? (see "Background" for the answer)
b) What was the outcome of Thursday's vote in Michigan's state House over the "right to work" bill?

3. How many other states have a "right-to-work" law? (Which was the most recent state to pass such a law?)

4. How are unions reacting to the probable passage of the Workplace Equity and Fairness Act in Michigan?

5. If a large majority of the House and Senate voted to pass this legislation on Thursday, why hasn't it been finalized yet?

6. a) What does AFP director Scott Hagerstrom say about the difference between early unions and unions today?
b) Do you agree with Mr. Hagerstrom's assertion? Why or why not?

7. Is your state a closed shop, or right-to-work state?
a) Ask you teacher whether he/she supports mandatory union membership, and to explain his/her answer.
b) Ask a parent the same question.
Note: If you do not agree with your teacher or parent, remember to respectfully listen to his/her point of view.

CHALLENGE: Talk to a few adults about this issue. Try to find at least one union member, and one non-union member, preferably a small business person whether they support or oppose a right-to-work law, and to explain their position. Remember that this is a very emotional issue for many people.

Background

Michigan is the fifth most unionized state in the country and the birthplace of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). According to the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, Michigan has lost 7,300 jobs since January, while next-door Indiana, which became a right-to-work state earlier this year, has been on the upswing.

According to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, the state has a record number of businesses choosing to expand or set up in the state, including Amazon and Toyota. The 220 companies will create some 21,000 new jobs and invest $3.6 billion. The growth has come despite a decrease in the average tax incentives offered by the state to $8,900 from around $37,000 in previous years.

Republicans hold a 26-12 majority in the Michigan Senate and a 64-46 majority in the state House. According to a recent poll by Mitchell Research & Communications for a right-to-work advocacy group, 51% of Michiganders support a right-to-work law while 41% are opposed.

That's important because if a right-to-work law passed the legislature, unions could still try to repeal it [by using a ballot measure in an attempt to have Michigan residents to vote on whether they wanted to keep the law]. By the time [a ballot measure] against right to work [came up for a vote], voters could have had more than a year to see the law's economic benefits.

[Labor union] AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka has said that politicians who oppose Big Labor would "pay a steep political price" but it's not turning out that way. In Indiana, Republicans picked up nine seats after the right-to-work law passed and lawmakers who made the law a key part of their agenda won by wide margins. (from wsj.com op-ed)