Indiana workers protest passage of an anti-union law in their state. The fight now comes to Michigan.
Republicans in the Michigan legislature aren't saying they're 100 percent definitely going to try to pass an anti-union law during the lame duck session ... but they're not denying it's being discussed. The law, called "right to work" by supporters and "right to work for less" or "no rights at work" by opponents, would make union members pay the costs of representing their coworkers who choose not to join a union, but who would still be eligible for union-negotiated benefits and grievance representation.
According to one Michigan reporter:
A bunch of Republican heavyweights, mostly business types from the west side of the state, are fiercely lobbying legislators to take quick advantage of big GOP majorities in both the House and Senate and pass it once and for all.
Other Republican lawmakers—those who have to face future elections—are squirming. If they vote “yes,” they most certainly will be the objects of fierce opposition from Democrats and their allies in organized labor come election time. If they vote "no," they almost certainly will face opposition in primary elections in 2014.
A former state representative and spokesman for an anti-union group pushing the law
recently said that:
"In my opinion, we have the votes in the House. I believe we have the votes in the Senate, with the exception of Randy Richardville."
Richardville, of Monroe, the Senate majority leader, has opposed taking up the legislation, saying it's too divisive and would have little effect on job growth because less than 20 percent of the state's workers are unionized.
Elsewhere, Richardville, a Republican, has been
quoted describing this as the "800-pound gorilla" of the lame duck.
(Via Working America)