Michigan Passed Right-to-Work Laws

                    Michigan legislature passed Public Sector and Private Sector Right to Work bills, and they were signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder (R) earlier this evening.  This action turned Michigan into a Right to Work state, making 24 such states at the present time.  The new laws bring greater freedom to the workers in Michigan and should bring more economic benefits to both the workers and small businesses.

As can be expected, Big Labor did not want the bills to become laws and did its best to kill the Right to Work bills.  Big Labor knows that it loses money when individual workers have the freedom to decide for themselves whether or not they wish to join or give money to unions.  Michigan is also home of the automobile industry and the United Auto Workers Union.

Amy Payne of The Heritage Foundation wrote, "Regardless of news reports, the people of Michigan are behind this.  A recent poll showed that 51 percent of Michigan voters support right-to-work.  Only 41 percent are opposed.  In fact, 40 percent of union households supported it.  In November, Michigan voters rejected a ballot proposal that would have amended the state constitution to prevent the legislature from passing a right-to-work law and elevated union contracts above state law.  The New York Times called it `a test case on enshrining the rights of unions" and unions spent more than $23 million campaigning for the initiative.  It lost by 15 points."

Big Labor worked hard to keep these bills from becoming laws.  Lawsuits were filed, protesters were brought in by bus,

teachers called in sick, and legislators walked out of session.  They even brought in their biggest "gun," even President Barack Obama to campaign for Big Labor in Detroit. 

                    As he does with almost every subject, Obama lied and twisted the truth: "What we shouldn't be doing is trying to take away your rights to bargain for better wages and working conditions.  We shouldn't be doing that.  These so-called `right to work' laws, they don't have to do with economics; they have everything to do with politics.  What they're really talking about is giving you the right to work for less money."

President Obama could not have been more wrong in his words.  The right-to-work laws have everything to do with economics because they provide and protect jobs and more jobs translate into a better economy. 

James Sherk of The Heritage Foundation explained exactly why the President's words were untrue.  "Right-to-work laws prevent unions from imposing mandatory fees, giving employees the right to work without paying union dues.  Otherwise, right-to-work has no effect on collective bargaining.  All other negotiations continue as before."

In November 2011 Sherk published a paper entitled "Right to Work Increases Jobs and Choices."  He began his paper by explaining, "Union contracts frequently require employees to pay union dues or lose their jobs.  This forces workers to support the union financially even if the union contract harms them or they oppose the union's agenda.  Several states … are considering right-to-work laws, which protect workers from being fired for not paying union dues.  Unions oppose these laws because they reduce union membership and income.  However, the rest of the economy benefits from right-to-work laws.  Right-to-work laws reduce the financial benefit from organizing workplaces where unions have limited support.  This makes unions less aggressive and encourages business investment, creating jobs.  States can and should reduce unemployment by becoming right-to-work states."

If you want to see an example of how Big Labor defends its hold on workers, take a look at this video.  

Think about the hate and contention shown in that video and think of the following:  "For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 3 Nephi 11-29).

The Lord taught that anyone who has the "spirit of contention" is of the devil; therefore, any person or any organization that operates on contention of any kind is serving the "dark side" of society.  We should support right-to-work laws for this very reason:  they lessen the power of those who use contention to gain control of other people.

                   

Right to Work

                    The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday is the simple fact that businesses - and thus employees - do better in right to work states.  In the eighth annual surveytaken by Chief Executive, 650 business leaders "were asked to grade states in which they do business" in a variety of areas such as "tax and regulation, quality of workforce and living environment."

                    The top ten best states for business were Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Utah, and Arizona - all right-to-work states.  The ten worst states for business are California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Hawaii - all unionized states. 

                    Texas and Florida have enacted business tax and regulatory reforms, which have encouraged businesses to move to their states, while businesses are migrating out of California and New York because of higher taxes and more regulations.

                    "It may be no accident that most of the states in the top 20 are also right-to-work states, as labor force flexibility is highly sought after when a business seeks a location.  Several economists, most notably Ohio State's Richard Vedder and Harvard's Robert Barro, have found that the economies in R-to-W areas grow faster than other states, have higher employment and attract more inward migration.  Governor Scott Walker's battle with the unions in Wisconsin…, a state that edged into the top 20 this year for this first time, demonstrates that the struggle for a pro-growth agenda can be contentious.  As one Badger State business leader remarked, `Finally, Wisconsin is headed in the right direction."

                    Louisiana is a good example of the changes that can take place when government is favorable to business.  Louisiana ranked 47th in 2006, 27th in 2011, and 13th in 2012.  "'In Louisiana there is an active government push to reduce taxes and regulation and to encourage new industry to relocate to the state,' commented one chairman.  `This was valuable for one of our companies, which decided to make the state our headquarters.'  Other chiefs point to the big strides the state has made in workforce training and economic incentives.  Its economic development office is also aggressive in luring disaffected businesses from the Northeast and California."

                    Alaska is ranked 31st in 2012, the same ranking as 2011.  One of the planks approved at the GOP Alaska State Convention last month was in support of making Alaska a right-to-work state.  This report from Chief Executive shows the problems involved when states allow unions to control businesses.  The time is right for all states become business friendly by passing right-to-work laws.  When employees and businesses are not buried by union demands, there is greater freedom for growth for everyone.