Over at the Times Herald’s [1] opinion section, another union boss whined about the growing Right to Work movement in Michigan. The ex construction union chief had this to say:
“If Michigan becomes a right-to-work state, you might as well pack your bags and leave it.”
The problem is (as we have repeatedly [2] reported [3] here [4]) Michiganders are already leaving [5] the state – precisely because of Big Labor’s forced unionism stranglehold. The lack of a Right to Work law has not only deprived employees of their freedom of association, but it has also contributed to Michigan’s skyrocketing unemployment levels [6] and heavy taxes [7].
Right to Work laws [8] guarantee that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join or not to join, nor to pay dues to a labor union. It’s no wonder Michiganders are packing their bags for Right to Work states.
Let’s hope that this situation changes before the state’s economy collapses.
Links:
[1] http://www.thetimesherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/OPINION06/801040322/1014/OPINION
[2] http://www.nrtw.org/another-expert-says-union-dues-should-be-optional
[3] http://www.nrtw.org/more-michigan-s-economic-woes
[4] http://www.nrtw.org/michiganders-are-leaving-right-work-states
[5] http://www.nrtw.org/michiganders-are-leaving-right-work-states
[6] http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.mi.htm
[7] http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/461.html
[8] http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm