“(Right-to-work) has done nothing but hurt hardworking Michiganders.”
－ state Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park), RTW repeal sponsor
Hello Downriver,
Eleven years ago on these pages I wrote extensively on the Michigan Legislature’s successful push to enact a “right-to-work” (RTW) law for our state.
For the three-part series, I interviewed everyone from state lawmakers to business leaders to union leaders, including the late Harry Lester.
The move by the Republican-controlled Legislature and then-Gov. Rick Snyder was highly criticized for several reasons:
1) It was viewed as a blatant way to reduce union membership — which was seen as a constant threat to Republicans.
2) It was jammed through during a lame-duck session along party lines.
3) It was signed into law by Snyder — even though he had publicly called the law divisive and said he preferred to avoid a debate on it.
But the governor changed his mind when a failed petition drive sought to enshrine union organization and collective bargaining into the state constitution.
So in a pique of pettiness, he put his name to paper.
Of course, since then, Snyder has become a history revisionist: In a recent column, he wrote that he was “proud to sign the bill into law.”
Interestingly, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is now being criticized for signing a repeal of that law (which may have happened by the time you read this).
Why?
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