Michigan Passes Right-to-Work Legislation; Email from Canadian Teacher Threatened With $500 Fines Per Day for Not Picketing; Collective Bargaining vs. Company Store
Courtesy of Mish
Right-to-Work provisions are at long last coming to Michigan. Reuters reports 'right-to-work' law exempts existing union contracts
- Right-to-Work could be approved within a week
- Stunning blow to organized labor
- Immediate impact blunted by "grandfather" clause
- Opponents vow to overturn new law
The proposed Michigan "right-to-work" law will not apply to existing union contracts, a leading sponsor of the proposal said on Friday, which may blunt its immediate impact on the huge auto industry in the state.
Michigan Republicans pushed through the state legislature on Thursday a law making the payment of union dues voluntary in the private sector. The state Senate also voted to apply this to the public sector except for police and fire unions.
Republican lawmakers, who hold majorities in both chambers of the legislature, could give final approval to the laws on Tuesday and Republican Governor Rick Snyder could immediately sign them, Amber McCann, spokeswoman for state Senate Majority Leader Richard Richardville, said on Friday.
"Right-to-work" could be signed into law within a week in the cradle of the U.S. auto industry, a stunning blow to organized labor in the United States.
The law would actually take effect at the end of March, Richardville said on Thursday.
Step in Right Direction
This is certainly a big step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done. I am not concerned about the grandfather clause because eventually those contracts will be picked up.
I am concerned about caving into police and fire unions because those bloated workforces have the most egregious wage structures and pension plans.
Right to Work States
This graph from the National Right-to-Work Committee will soon need to be updated (with an * denoting exceptions for police and fire unions)
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