Lansing — The Michigan Senate approved landmark victories for organized labor Tuesday evening by repealing the 2012 right-to-work law that made union membership optional at unionized workplaces and re-establishing a prevailing wage standard for state projects.
The proposals passed along party lines 20-17, marking a turning point in Michigan politics, as Democrats, who won majorities last fall in the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years, begin unraveling policies that Republicans considered among their top achievements in the past decade.
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, said the votes demonstrated Michigan was “restoring the union promise” and making a step toward a new era of governance.
"Today, we are showing the world that Michigan is not only where we make things and build things, it’s where the people who do so are respected," Camilleri said.
But Republican lawmakers blasted the bills, arguing they would damage the state's ability to compete for jobs, would take a choice away from workers and would financially benefit labor groups that help fund Democrats' campaigns. The right-to-work law makes paying dues or agency fees to a union optional.
“This isn’t about policy," said Sen. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell. "It’s about politics. This is basically a political fundraiser being launched at the state Capitol.”
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