Michigan passed Right-to-Work today. Union protesters staked out the Capitol building making their voices heard. So, what does all this mean? Paul Kersey of the Illinois Policy Institute explains what’s going on and what all of this means.
Q: What is happening in Michigan?
A: Last Thursday Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced that he wanted the state Legislature to pass the so-called “Worker Fairness and Equity Act,” a Right-to-Work law.
Q: What is a Right-to-Work law?
A: Right to Work means that a worker in a unionized company cannot be forced to join a union or pay union dues and fees as a condition of employment.
Q: Are workers forced to join a union under current law?
A: Technically, no. Practically, yes. If there’s a union at your workplace, you don’t have to formally join the union. But if you don’t join, you still have to pay what’s called an agency fee – basically dues to support the union. It’s generally the same amount you would pay as a union member and it goes to the same people either way – unless there’s a right-to-work law in place.
Q: Why do unions dislike Right-to-Work laws?
A: Unions know that if they give workers a choice on whether or not to join – and thus pay dues – funding will drop. When funding drops, union power decreases.
Union dues are worth a lot of money: anywhere from $400 to $1,000 for every worker. There are millions of dollars at stake.
A couple days ago, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who was a big union backer in her day, tweeted that Right to Work was “a move to cut-off the resources that give labor unions their strength: Funding.” ...More HERE
