News Story

Union Leaders On Right-to-Work Law: 'There Is Going To Be Retribution'

AFSCME vows to fight to protect privileges for 17.5 percent of state's workforce

Michigan's unions will devote all their resources to fight the recently passed right-to-work law by trying to overturn it in court, doing recalls of politicians, holding rallies and trying to get it put on the ballot, according to a top union leader’s comments during a recent teleconference.

Al Garrett, president of Michigan AFSCME Council 25, and Larry Roehrig, secretary treasurer, laid out their plans about how to “attack” the law. The conference call was recorded and Michigan Capitol Confidential obtained the audio file.

"There is going to be retribution," Garrett said.

Garrett predicted that right-to-work law would be repealed in some manner within two years.

He said recall action would start "as soon as we can." He said union lawyers are combing over the law to see if it can be overturned in court.

Any legal action wouldn’t begin until after the legislators are out of session, which Garrett estimated would be Dec. 27.

"We don’t want to give them an opportunity to correct their mistakes," he said. "There is going to be undoubtedly some petition effort."

Garrett said the union will publish the names of the Republican legislators who voted for the right-to-work legislation that Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law Dec. 11. Garrett said the union would post those legislators names on the union's website.

"We will not forget the folks who did this to us," he said.

About 17.5 percent of Michigan's workforce belongs to a union. A right-to-work law gives workers the freedom to choose whether they want to pay dues or fees to a union. Previously, workers could be fired for not paying dues or fees. 

Roehrig said 116 people chose not to be members of the Michigan AFSCME Council 25 and instead paid agency fees.

Garrett said he expects a few more than 100 to exercise their new right to opt-out of the union.

"There is no cure for stupid, and that’s what we saw this week from the Republican side of the aisle," Roehrig said.

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Here is the full teleconference:

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.

News Story

Applauding Michigan Legislators Who Supported Workplace Freedom and Liberty

Gov. Rick Snyder never lied about right-to-work legislation in Michigan. In 2009, he said he’d sign a bill if it reached his desk.

But, he also said then and stuck to his preference that a right-to-work bill not reach his desk because he said he thought it was too divisive. That didn’t matter to Michigan’s union bosses, who ignored Gov. Snyder and pushed Proposal 2 to protect their own perks at the expense of the majority of Michigan residents.

In response, Michigan legislators passed a package of bills that give workers the choice as to whether they want to pay dues or fees to a union as a condition of employment. Gov. Snyder signed it Dec. 11.

The legislation does not do away with unions. Nor does it eliminate collective bargaining.

It allows workers to decide if they want to give a significant portion of their yearly income to union bosses who have used most of that money supporting political activities and candidates that some union members don’t support.

The governor and the following legislators voted for freedom and liberty in the workplace and should be commended for their efforts.

Senators:

Sen. Darwin Booher, R-Evart

Sen. Jack Brandenburg, R-Harrison

Sen. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale

Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton

Sen. Judy Emmons, R-Sheridan

Sen. Geoff Hansen, R-Hart

Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell

Sen. Joe Hune, R-Hamburg

Sen. Mark Jansen, R-Cutlerville

Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge

Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw

Sen. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake

Sen. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion

Sen. Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive

Sen. John Moolenaar, R-Midland

Sen. John Pappageorge, R-Troy

Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair

Sen. John Proos IV, R-St. Joseph

Sen. Randy Richardville, R-Monroe

Sen. David Robertson, R-Grand Blanc

Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, R-Lawton

Sen. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City

Representatives:

Rep. Dave Agema, R-Grandville

Rep. James "Jase" Bolger, R-Marshall

Rep. Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo

Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville

Rep. Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant

Rep. Hugh Crawford, R-Novi

Rep. Kevin Daley, R-Attica

Rep. Kurt Damrow, R-Port Austin

Rep. Cindy Denby, R-Fowlerville

Rep. Jeff Farrington, R-Utica

Rep. Frank Foster, R-Pellston

Rep. Ray Franz, R-Onekama

Rep. Robert Genetski, R-Saugatuck

Rep. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac

Rep. Ben Glardon, R-Owosso

Rep. Joseph Grave, R-Argentine Township

Rep. Gail Haines, R-Waterford

Rep. Joseph Haveman, R-Holland

Rep. Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth

Rep. Thomas Hooker, R-Byron Center

Rep. Holly Hughes, R-Montague

Rep. Matt Huuki, R-Atlantic Mine

Rep. Bradford Jacobsen, R-Oxford

Rep. Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton

Rep. Joel Johnson, R-Clare

Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy

Rep. Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake

Rep. Kenneth Kurtz, R-Coldwater

Rep. Andrea LaFontaine, R-Richmond

Rep. Matt Lori, R-Constantine

Rep. Pete Lund, R-Shelby Township

Rep. Lisa Lyons, R-Alto

Rep. Peter MacGregor, R-Rockford

Rep. Greg MacMaster, R-Kewadin

Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills

Rep. Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham

Rep. Paul Muxlow, R-Brown City

Rep. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton

Rep. Margaret O'Brien, R-Portage

Rep. Rick Olson, R-Saline

Rep. Paul Opsommer, R-Dewitt

Rep. Mark Ouimet, R-Scio Township

Rep. Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes

Rep. Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle

Rep. Earl Poleski, R-Jackson

Rep. Phil Potvin, R-Cadillac

Rep. Amanda Price, R-Holland

Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville

Rep. Bruce Rendon, R-Lake City

Rep. Bill Rogers, R-Brighton

Rep. Roy Schmidt, R-Grand Rapids

Rep. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City

Rep. Deb Shaughnessy, R-Charlotte

Rep. Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake

Rep. Jim Stamas, R-Midland

Rep. Sharon Tyler, R-Niles

Rep. John Walsh, R-Livonia

Rep. Ken Yonker, R-Caledonia

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.