Michigan right-to-work legislation

[Klaatu]

Michigan lawmakers fast-track right-to-work legislation during chaotic day at the Capitol
9:45 PM, December 6, 2012 |

LANSING — Michigan, considered the birthplace of the American organized labor movement, was on a fast track to becoming the nation’s 24th right-to-work state late today after the state House and Senate passed bills as part of a package to pass the law.

Labor and Democrats were pushing back hard against the Workplace Fairness and Equity Act, but the efforts seemed futile as the controversial measures moved like greased lightning — and without going through committees or public debate — and could land on Gov. Rick Snyder’s desk by next week.

The debate raged across Michigan, and the country today, as to whether the legislation would do what proponents say, bring fairness to workers and spark economic growth; or do as opponents claim, lower wages and benefits and destroy the middle class.

“The goal isn’t to divide Michigan, it is to bring Michigan together,” said the governor, who previously had said the issue was not on his agenda.

The issue sparked vociferous protests and caused brief skirmishes on the Capitol steps between right-to-work backers and opponents. Inside, police arrested several protesters and sprayed mace at labor activists who tried to rush the Senate floor. But the protests were mostly peaceful.

Democrats in the Senate walked out of the chamber before the vote was taken.

•RELATED: Police arrest several protesters, spray mace into crowd inside Michigan Capitol (video)

• RELATED: Protesters allowed back into state Capitol after being locked out for hours

Police took the unusual and controversial step of locking Capitol entrances and blocking citizens’ entry for several hours until labor representatives obtained a court order from Ingham County Circuit Judge Joyce Draganchuk to reopen the seat of state government and grant access to the “democratic process.”

State Police officials said the Capitol was closed for safety reasons because the building was filled to capacity. Those locked out, including UAW President Bob King, said the move was an affront to democracy.

Right-to-work legislation makes it illegal to require financial support of a union as a condition of employment. Snyder and Republican leaders characterized the bills as giving workers a choice about whether they want to financially support a union. Democrats said the initiative is about union-busting and retribution for Proposal 2, a failed Nov. 6 labor-backed ballot initiative that would have barred a right-to-work law and enshrined collective bargaining in the state constitution.

The bills cover all public and private workers, except police and firefighters, who would be allowed to maintain closed union shops.

No committee hearings were planned, and by late today, the House had passed one of the three bills in a 58-52 vote and the Senate had passed two others — one for private-sector workers and one for public-sector workers — by votes of 22-16 and 22-4, respectively.

The Senate and House passed bills that would impose right-to-work on private unions. But House Democrats, through a procedural move, asked for a reconsideration of bill HB 4054, which technically can’t take place until the next day the House meets, which will be Tuesday.

The Senate bill, SB 116, is identical to the House bill, so the House could just consider the Senate bill on Tuesday instead of worrying about a reconsideration vote on the version of the bill it passed.

The Senate also passed a bill that would impose right to work on public-sector employees, and that bill also now moves to the House, which could vote on the bills as soon as Tuesday.

The bill that passed the House includes a $1-million appropriation. By making it an appropriations bill, the Republicans made it ineligible for repeal through a ballot initiative.

• RELATED: State e-mail warns its employees to be careful, 'avoid walking alone at night'

• RELATED: UAW President Bob King tried to talk Snyder out of right-to-work push

Snyder and GOP legislative leaders rejected charges the bills were being rushed through.

“This topic has been out there for a significant amount of time,” Snyder said. “I think it’s a well understood issue” and “when it arrives on my desk, I plan on signing it.”

Rep. Steve Bieda, D-Warren, said the haste was “an affront to the constitution,” and “all pieces of legislation deserve thoughtful discussion and debate.”

Snyder said the recent passage of right-to-work legislation in neighboring Indiana put Michigan at risk for losing business to the Hoosier State. And while he told the Free Press in an interview that he personally didn’t consider it such a high priority that it needed to be dealt with now, Snyder said he supports the principle that workers should be free to choose whether to support a union.

Now, he said, is “time to be a good leader and stand up and take a position.”

He said unions have done a lot of good in Michigan and he hopes the new law will cause unions to do a better job of selling themselves to potential members.

Democrats accused Snyder of selling out to Republican powerbrokers, such as Amway heir Dick DeVos and other CEOs who avidly support the change.

“This bill is not about giving people choice; this bill is about breaking unions,” said state Rep. Steven Lindberg, D-Marquette.

In the Senate, four Republicans — Tory Rocca of Sterling Heights, Tom Casperson of Escanaba, Mike Nofs of Battle Creek and Mike Green of Mayville — joined with Democrats in opposing right to work. Democrats left the Senate chamber before one of the two bills passed there.

The vote on the first Senate bill came after more than three hours of debate, including a nearly hour-long speech from Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, railing against the bill.

Today’s move on right-to-work followed intensive negotiations involving Snyder, House Speaker Jase Bolger and Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville on one side of the table, and the UAW’s King and other labor leaders on the other. The talks broke off on Wednesday.

Snyder said there were concessions that organized labor could have put on the table that would have headed off the right-to-work legislation. But he wouldn’t say what those concessions were or give any details of negotiations.

Some right-to-work proponents said they were strongly opposed to carving out any exceptions in the law.

But Snyder said police and firefighters would be excluded because of the dangerousness of their jobs and the need for a “special bond” among them.

Bolger also cited special provisions given to the Michigan State Police in the state constitution and binding arbitration laws that apply to public safety workers.

State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing, said the right-to-work issue was poisoning the environment in Lansing and threatens any cooperation between Republicans and Democrats going forward.

“President (Barack) Obama won the election and the Republicans lost five seats in the House,” she said. “And still, these guys don’t think their agenda is extreme enough.”

Snyder unveiled the plan, surrounded by union workers who said they support the legislation.

“Freedom-to-work is really worker friendly,” said Terry Bowman, a UAW member who is president and founder of Union Conservatives. Today, union leaders “really don’t have to work very hard for their rank and file members, forced as a condition of their employment to continue to support them.”

Outside the news conference, the protests raged.

They carried signs that read: “Right to work: nobody wants it. Nobody needs it.” and “Workers’ rights, not right to work.”

Daniel Mouradian of Southfield got off a 10-hour shift at his electrician’s job in Flat Rock at 3 a.m. and came to the Capitol to join in the protest.

“I’m here for my family, your family and all work people,” he said. “I’m going to be here every chance I get. If that means camping out here, I’ll do it. I already told my wife that she needs to be ready to bail me out.” Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or [email protected]

source
http://www.freep.com/article/20121206/NEWS06/121206088

[fgilbert2]

shit just became real, folks. if it can happen in Michigan, it will happen everywhere.

[Ocean Seal]

“The goal isn’t to divide Michigan, it is to bring Michigan together,” said the governor, who previously had said the issue was not on his agenda.

Bring us together is code work for fuck you, you doorstep.
For what its worth, I'll come together when we hang these bastards from the gallows.

[CryingWolf]

"In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, as 'right-to-work.' It provides no 'rights' and no 'works.' Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining... We demand this fraud be stopped." MLK
-fka Redbrother

Holy crap, I was just thinking about the alternatives to this bullshit "right-to-work".

How about we put forth an opposing "right-to-organize"?

Meh, that's not as catchy... how about "right-to-unite"? Any ideas?

[Klaatu]

Holy crap, I was just thinking about the alternatives to this bullshit "right-to-work".

How about we put forth an opposing "right-to-organize"?

Meh, that's not as catchy... how about "right-to-unite"? Any ideas?

Right to a fair wage
Right to protection
Right to collective bargain
Right to truth in politics

[Klaatu]

This crap legislation is going on in my own state (Michigan)

It was literally rammed through in a day, with no debate, no public comment, no committee recommendations, no nothing.
I hope and predict that this will be struck down by the courts, since there is no compelling reason to have passed this
nonsense in such an emergency fashion, as if the sky were on fire or there was an alien invasion or god-knows-what!
This was done purely as revenge by the governor and his snake-in-the-grass RE-THUG-LICAN henchmen as payback
for the ballot referendum of Prop 2, which failed anyway due to the malicious libel put forth by wealthy out-of-state
capitalist fear-mongers and propaganda ministers

This is one more example of Conservative-Mafia Government and puts us one step closer to the Socialist Revolution

[CryingWolf]

and puts us one step closer to the Socialist Revolution

I fail to see how. This is a defeat, not a victory.

[fgilbert2]

Well, over on dailykos one of the memes is "this is what you get when you sit out the midterm, this is what you get when you vote for a Republican legislature and governor."
They're right. Voting for the lesser evil would have prevented this. What would have happened instead would be a continuation of the slow leak of union power.

Now, after this crushing defeat, we have a dangerous opportunity. If enough of us here in Michigan and anywhere else where people care about labor are radicalized by this fascist victory, we can end up stronger and we are one step closer to revolution.

[Grenzer]

All seems quiet around here so the protest must be confined to the environs of the capitol building itself. The state's economy has been hard hit for about a decade. Far from causing an increase in the class struggle, most workers I encounter seem to be incredibly resigned to the situation, and barely display any displeasure at all towards the current state of affairs since "it's just the way it is".

[Prometeo liberado]

Tell me now how electoral politics is not at least one effecetive tool in our arsenal?

[Klaatu]

I fail to see how. This is a defeat, not a victory.

I see your point. What I meant was that this event will piss off enough people, who will start thinking seriously about radical change (revolution)

[keystone]

Does anyone from Michigan have more information about what went down in the capitol building? What is the feeling that people on the streets have about this?

[Klaatu]

Does anyone from Michigan have more information about what went down in the capitol building? What is the feeling that people on the streets have about this?

PHOTO GALLERY
Protesters gain access to Michigan Capitol
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...2060806&Ref=PH

PHOTO GALLERY
Protestors rally against right-to-work legisation
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...2060804&Ref=PH

note: no guarantee that these links will work after a few days, because this newspaper blocks access (becomes PayPerView)

[Grenzer]

The impression I'm getting from people is that most of them didn't know this even happened. I only live like 10 miles away from the capitol building and no one I knew had even heard about it, but most people I know are bored by politics.

[Klaatu]

most people I know are bored by politics.

But I'll bet they know all about Fox News' Bill O'Reilly's "War on Christmas"

[KurtFF8]

This is one more example of Conservative-Mafia Government and puts us one step closer to the Socialist Revolution

What on earth are you talking about?

[zimmerwald1915]

I see your point. What I meant was that this event will piss off enough people, who will start thinking seriously about radical change (revolution)

Consciousness does not develop that way.

[Klaatu]

Consciousness does not develop that way.

You're not understanding why revolutions happen. People get dissatisfied, disgusted, and they eventually revolt.
What do you expect, a Gandhi approach? I only wish that were true. But no. People here in Michigan are PISSED

What on earth are you talking about?

Are you familiar with American Republicans? 'Mafia' is the closest analogy I can think of. (You know, like criminals?)

[Klaatu]

Here are two of the anti-union organizations which are mainly responsible for lobbying for the so-called 'right-to-work' law in Michigan
(Notice the affiliation with Fox News) Despite their 'pro-union' claims, believe me, these people are foaming-at-the-mouth, rabidly ANTI-union
Their goal is to completely destroy unions and workers' rights. Ironically, the founder of the 'unionconservatives' site is a UAW member!

http://www.mackinac.org/

http://unionconservatives.com/Home_Page.html

[keystone]

The UnionConservatives thing looks like an astroturf internet organization with one guy, Mr. Bowman, acting as the "dues paying union member" stooge mouthpiece for the anti-union business interests.

We should note the rationale behind the group's strategy, as noted on their website:

Bowman, who is an active, dues-paying UAW member himself, also says that this would send a permanent message to businesses looking to relocate. "If the initiative passes in November, Michigan's future will be dark and uncertain. This would send a message to businesses that if you come to Michigan, there will be an immediate adversarial relationship guaranteed by union officials. When we have bordering states like Indiana who just passed business and worker-friendly Right to Work legislation, Michigan's prospects for new jobs and investment would be gone. Union jobs in both the private and government sector would suffer as a result.

It's trying to recast this kind of legislation as "worker-friendly" and destroying the remaining power of the unions in these right-to-unionize states. As globalization-fueled austerity pushes for the restructuring of the US working class into more precarious, lower-paid sectors, businesses have to threaten workers with the loss of jobs if they don't consent to tearing up union protections.

Working people can get swept up by this misleading propaganda if we don't present an alternate solution to capitalism and its enforced immiseration of the working class. We need a revolutionary agenda to agitate both within the unions -- who seem to have acquiesced to this by organizing candlelight vigils across the country to deflect anger rather than strengthen opposition -- and towards unorganized workers and the unemployed, pointing out how this attack is part of a larger trend towards driving down wages and exploiting workers even more for higher profits even while businesses profit more than ever from workers' labor, here and abroad.

We need to put forward bold demands: while I'd want to hear what many others have to think, some places to start would include demanding quality jobs with living wages for all, free childcare for all workers, heightened standards for firing workers, extensions of unemployment benefits as well as improved welfare benefits. All this should be done while pointing to the collective interests of workers to organize for their interests and how big business (particularly aiming at the corporations and banks) are behind this effort.