On Tuesday, December 11th, Michigan
governor Rick Snyder signed the Right to Work bill into law
while more than 10,000 union members and supporters protested at
the Capitol in Lansing. Snyder, who had told constituents he
wouldn't support the bill, changed his mind only last week, pushing the
legislation through a lame duck house with uncommon speed. Unions put out a
call on December 6, urging supporters to come to Lansing to try to stop
Snyder. Twenty-four states already have Right to Work
laws on the books. What happens in Michigan, a historically strong
state for unions, may well influence the passage of RIght to Work laws
nationwide.
At a press conference after the day's
protests broke up, Snyder claimed the RIght to Work bill is not union busting.
Instead he says it's a law that gives people more choices.
Workers can still join a union, he pointed out. But union
members claim that Right to Work means lower wages and
fewer benefits as it takes away their power since without certain jobs
requiring union membership their numbers and power will dwindle. They
fear the rights, benefits and protections that unions have
championed for decades will disappear as has happened in the states
that have adopted the law. (see link here ) Union member David Sweet explained,
" The Right to Work law is wrong. Unions created the middle class and
without unions, we will lose it. People have to realize that Unions set workers
standards. We set wages. Without us wages will get lower." according
to the UAWs website
'The bill reverse decades of balanced labor law in Michigan, which has
yielded stable industrial relations, good middle-class jobs, and broadly shared
prosperity. Studies have shown that workers in so-called “right to work”
states earn an average of $1,500 less annually.
Protesters sat down in the middle of
the Capitol's rotunda in an act of civil disobedience after the
signing of the bill took place. Reverend Jesse
Jackson, Michigan senator Gretchen Whitmer and Lansing mayor Virg
Bernero made brief statements in support of the unions before joining the
protesters. Outside there were two separate incidents where police
officers used mace, and one brawl between a person from the Americans for Prosperity and an anti-Right
to Work protester. Three arrests were made. James P. Hoffa lawyer and
president of the Teamsters was also on hand. He said that this
law is a major step backwards for everyone and made it clear the
fight against Right to Work is not over. Mayor Bernero told me
what happened was despicable. "We are in a colossal war between the
99% and the 1% and today the 1% won. The governor represents the
1%, but we will be back. In two years a Democrat will be elected and
the law will be reversed."
For more the passing of the Right to Work Law check out my story on the Progressive 's site
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Union Members March in Lansing MI To The State Capitol
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Jake Stone, Burner and Boilermakers Union169 and Daryl Honaker, the Operating Engineers Union 324
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| Union Members and Supporters Protest Against the Right to Work Law at The State Capitol |
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| Protester Sit in the middle of the State Capitols Routanda |
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| Jesse Jackson, LLansingMayor Virg Bernero and Michigan Senator Democrat-minority leader, Gretchen Whitmer |
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| State Police Guard the George W. Romney Building where Snyder's Office is |
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| Krystal Nowicki and Jamie Krystal eat pizza While Protesting the Right to Work Law |
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| Janitor Colleen Baldwin Says it is Too Bad so Much Will Be Taken From Her Grandchildren |
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| Sign in the garbage at the end of a day of Union led protest against the RIght to Work law |
Dave Sweet a member of a union for 35 years, He say the Right to Work law is wrong
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| Protesters in Front of the George W. Romney Building across from the State Capitol |
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| Corey Hake, iron worker in local 25 Union at the RIght to Work Protest |
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| Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan holds a press conference |
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| A Union member holds a sign with a Christmas message across from the State Capitol |
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