Rick Hagland: Why repealing Right to Work is unlikely to hurt Michigan's economy

(Detroit Metro Times) On a bitter December day in 2012, the Michigan Legislature passed legislation — disguised as a measure to give workers more “freedom” — that in reality was designed to strip the financial and political power of labor unions.

Thousands of union members and their supporters protested at the Capitol, but to no avail. Republican lawmakers who controlled the legislature quickly passed the Right-to-Work bills without a hearing in their lame duck session and slinked out of town. Then-Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican who once said Right to Work was “not on my agenda,” promptly signed the legislation.

Under Right to Work, workers cannot be forced to pay union dues as a condition of employment. But they are still covered by union contracts in unionized shops.

It was a gut punch to the labor movement in a state that gave birth to the United Auto Workers union and played a crucial role in creating the middle class.

But Democrats, who now control the legislature and governor’s office, are vowing to overturn Right to Work. Bills to repeal the law were introduced last month in the House and Senate. ...............(more)

https://www.metrotimes.com/news/rick-hagland-why-repealing-right-to-work-is-unlikely-to-hurt-michigans-economy-32302996