Bringing it all together: what Right to Work means for Michigan and its workers

On Tuesday Michigan’s Legislature took the final steps in passing Right-to-Work legislation, and Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bill into law. Outside the Statehouse, union protesters became more agitated, tearing down a tent where Right-to-Work supporters had gathered (a handful of people were almost trapped inside the canvas) and assaulting a Fox News correspondent. In...

On Tuesday Michigan’s Legislature took the final steps in passing Right-to-Work legislation, and Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bill into law. Outside the Statehouse, union protesters became more agitated, tearing down a tent where Right-to-Work supporters had gathered (a handful of people were almost trapped inside the canvas) and assaulting a Fox News correspondent.

In my third Right-to-Work post, I’ll explain why unions are so unhappy with what’s happening in Michigan and why workers stand to benefit.

Q: Why are the unions so upset over Michigan’s new Right-to-Work law?

A: The unions feel they are entitled to union dues or agency fees from every worker they represent.  Those dues are worth a lot of money; anywhere from $400 up to $1,000 for every worker each year. There are millions of dollars at stake.

Q: How much money do unions receive from dues each year?

A: Well, to give a couple of Illinois examples, AFSCME LC 31, the local branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that represents Illinois state employees, had a budget of $40 million in 2011. The Chicago Teachers Union, or CTU, raked in $25.8 million in membership dues in 2010. The figures from Michigan are in the same ballpark.

Q: But didn’t the unions earn this money?

A: Not really. Unions have done some serious harm. AFSCME spends a lot of its money blocking pension reform and making state government more expensive than it needs to be. CTU spent its money waging a strike and in the process managed to water down teacher evaluations and blocked reforms to make Chicago Public Schools better. The Bakery Workers union refused to make concessions to Hostess Brands Inc. even though the company was in bankruptcy; this forced the company to liquidate, costing 1,500 workers their jobs in Illinois alone.

Q: Some people say that Right to Work is union busting and that it does away with collective bargaining. Is there any truth to that?

A: None whatsoever. Right to Work only means that workers get to decide for themselves whether or not a union deserves their support. With Right to Work you can still join a union, and that union can bargain for you and your co-workers, represent you in a grievance and can even do politics.

Q: So Right to Work doesn’t silence unions?

A: Nope. At most, it turns the amplifier down from 11 to 10. If workers really support the union it doesn’t even do that. The union will have resources that are in line with how much workers really support it.

Q: Will workers support a union voluntarily? 

A: Union bosses should have more faith in workers. Data from the Union Membership and Coverage Database shows that in Right-to-Work states the vast majority of workers who are covered by a union contract will join the union voluntarily and pay the dues.

Q: So Right to Work is good for workers?

A: Yes. It makes unions more accountable to the men and women they represent. Right to Work attracts businesses and jobs. Right-to-Work states have a long-running advantage in job creation and wage growth. If you account for cost of living, Right-to-Work states even have higher wages and incomes.

Right to Work is a form of tough love that tells union bosses that they’re acting recklessly, that workers are rejecting them and they are going to lose money and power until they give up on the outrageous demands and militant tactics so they can reconnect with the real concerns of workers.

Q: Why are the unions afraid of Right to Work?

A: For decades, unions in Michigan and Illinois have been able to force workers to pay dues. They’ve become dependent on the money and lost touch with actual workers, who have lost faith in unions. Unions are losing members as unionized companies close down and workers in new companies are less likely to sign up.