Democrats have taken power in Michigan, and they’re using it.
On Friday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed a bill repealing the state’s decade-old “right-to-work” law, delivering a setback for the state’s conservative movement and a landmark victory for its labor unions.
“Today we are coming together to restore workers’ rights, protect Michiganders on the job, and grow Michigan’s middle class,” Whitmer said in a statement.
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Right-to-work laws forbid unions and employers from entering into agreements that require every worker under the contract to pay fees to cover the cost of bargaining and representation. Unions despise the laws and say they lead to “free-riding,” in which workers choose not to pay union dues but still enjoy the benefits of a union contract.
Republican leaders passed the state’s right-to-work law a decade ago. But once Democrats regained the levers of power after last year’s elections, they quickly set about dismantling it. Both the state House and Senate recently passed repeal bills on party-line votes and sent the legislation to Whitmer’s desk.
Unions hailed the repeal on Friday. Rob Bieber, head of the Michigan AFL-CIO, said the state had “restored the balance of power” for workers.
“After decades of attacks on working people, it’s a new day in Michigan, and the future is bright,” Bieber said in a statement.
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