With a year left on its contract, the Western Michigan University's professors' union is trying to get a 9-year extension done by the March deadline that would give union members the right to not pay dues or fees as a condition of employment at the school.

That would lock everyone represented by that union into paying dues or fees until 2023.

Michigan Capitol Confidential obtained a draft of the proposal of the plan, which was verified by union members. It was drafted Jan. 23. The agreement would be a collective bargaining agreement known as a “union security agreement” (USA) that would be separate from the regular contract that covered wages and benefits.

In the current contract, WMU professors who fail to comply with the provision forcing them to pay dues or an agency fee to the union are suspended for two days without pay.

Part of the memo being circulated predicts dire consequences for the union if its members are given a choice as to stay with the union.

"Without a new USA, significant reduction in membership dues support is likely in the wake of RTW …" reads the memo that covers frequently asked questions.

Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, said he thinks the legislature could take action against colleges that try to circumvent the right-to-work law.

Rep. McMillin said he thinks the legislature could restrict funds to colleges through the state’s Economic Vitality Incentive Program, which is described by the state as an incentive-based grant program that replaces traditional statutory revenue sharing.

"WMU could end up getting less from the state in their appropriations," Rep. McMillin wrote in an email.

The union security agreement would have to be passed before March 27 to be allowed. That's the date when the right-to-work laws take effect.

WMU Spokeswoman Cheryl Roland said Friday that the administration had not received the proposal from the union and couldn't comment.

The next Western Michigan University Board of Trustee's meeting is scheduled for Feb. 27.

Joni Jones, a former Western Michigan University professor, said she received the proposal from current union members. One union member who wanted to remain anonymous confirmed the proposal was being circulated among union members.

President Matt Mingus and Vice President Lisa Minnick of the Western Michigan University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (WMU-AAUP) didn't respond to a request for comment. WMU trustee Michelle Crumm said she didn't want to comment.

After Capitol Confidential posted it's story, Mingus told MLive that the union has not started negotiating with the university. He did not deny that a 9-year extension was being considered by the union.

Scores of right-to-work critics ranging from politicians to economists have cited lower per-capita incomes in right-to-work states as why the new law is not good for Michigan.

However, not factoring in cost-of-living exposes a flaw in that analysis, said Mackinac Center for Public Policy Fiscal Analyst James Hohman. Once that is considered, Hohman said the per-capita income is higher in right-to-work states than non-right-to-work states.

For example, Texas per-capita income was $37,098 but would have a purchasing power of $49,700 in the state of New York in 2007, according to Hohman’s analysis. New York’s per-capita income was $47,852.

Hohman found that in terms of Michigan dollars in 2000, right-to-work states had 4.1 percent higher per-capita personal incomes than non-right-to-work states when factoring in cost of living. Michigan was considered a non-right-to-work state because the law was passed in late December 2012. Hohman said the right-work-states didn’t surpass non-right-to-work states until 2003.

“One of the most basic arguments repeated time and time again by right-to-work opposition is that Michigan is going to lose income by passing this law,” Hohman said. “That just isn’t the case. When you adjust for what a dollar can get you, the difference reverses itself."

Hohman used the cost of living index done by political scientists William Berry, Richard Fording and Russell Hanson. They adjusted for cost-of-living in every state from 1960 to 2007.

The idea is that costs vary state to state. For instance, gas on Friday in Connecticut was $3.66 per gallon compared to $3.37 in Michigan. Connecticut’s gas tax is 6.1 cents higher than Michigan’s and Connecticut’s sale tax is .35 percent higher than Michigan’s. Prices on items like milk, eggs, peanut butter, Tylenol, detergent, diapers and other goods are also higher.