Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the repeal of the state’s right-to-work law March 24, reversing legislation which allowed employees in unionized workplaces to opt out of paying union dues and fees.
Twenty-six states currently have right-to-work laws in place, though they remain hotly contested, especially among organized labor advocates. After right-to-work was initially passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and signed into law by former Gov. Rick Snyder in 2012, Michigan is now the first state to repeal a right-to-work law in 58 years.
The repeal requires members of unionized workplaces to pay dues to unions, meaning greater resources for organizing and collective bargaining efforts. Before the repeal of the law, employees could opt out of paying union dues and fees in a unionized workplace.
Supporters of the repeal argue right-to-work legislation reduces the collective influence of unions and allows for more “free-riders” — those who benefit from union representation in bargaining and labor disputes without contributing towards the costs of these endeavors.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Rackham student Amir Fleischmann, contract committee chair of the Graduate Employees’ Organization, said he supports the repeal of right-to-work because he disliked how it required unions like GEO to expend resources to represent people who did not pay into the organization.
“For us, (right-to-work) means that workers who don’t support their union, who (don’t) pay any money into their union, are still entitled to representation,” Fleischmann said. “If they get into a grievance, it’s our volunteers and our lawyers who are in the meeting with them, even though they don’t pay a cent.”
Sociology lecturer Ian Robinson told The Daily that because the University of Michigan is publicly funded, its employees are still subject to federal right-to-work legislation under the 2018 Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees decision. Robinson said though the repeal of right-to-work in Michigan will have an impact on union organizing in the state in general, it will not explicitly affect employees of the University.
“The important thing to understand on this campus is that … we’re all public-sector workers and we’re governed by this Supreme Court of the United States decision,” Robinson said. “The repeal of the law in Lansing affects all of the private-sector workers that are covered by it, but not any of the public-sector workers. It really has no impact on any of the University’s unions.”
Nat Leach, president of the University’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America, told The Daily they feel hopeful for the future of labor organizing in the wake of the repeal.
“In the short term, I know that the repeal of (right-to-work) is a small sign of the overall resurgence of the labor movement,” Leach said. “Organizers like myself in Michigan and across the nation are pleased to finally see the end of (right-to-work) and are motivated to keep fighting for the working class even more.”
In an email statement to The Daily, College Democrats wrote they believe the repeal will benefit Michigan workers.
“The repeal of so-called right-to-work and the restoration of the prevailing wage has come after a decade of persistent efforts from unions, legislators, and pro-labor allies,” the statement read. “Michigan is a union strong state, and the repeal of RTW levels the playing field for working folks to bargain for the good wages, benefits, and safe workplaces.”
The University’s chapter of College Republicans wrote a statement in an email to The Daily when asked for their opinion on the repeal of the right-to-work law. Although the repeal of the right-to-work law does not require employees who pay union dues to join the union, U-M College Republicans emphasized the importance of having a choice when joining a union.
“Republicans believe that hard-working American men and women have the right to decide for themselves if they want to join a labor union,” the statement read.
In a press release, Michigan House minority leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, raised concerns about the repeal’s impact on the state’s ability to attract businesses.
“Without right-to-work, businesses will find more competitive states for their manufacturing plants and research and development facilities, and workers and careers will drift away,“ Hall said.
The repeal of right-to-work has been heralded by many as a major victory for organized labor. U-M alum Justin Yuan, an organizer for the Huron Valley Area Labor Federation, a union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), told The Daily he hopes the repeal will lay the foundation for future labor victories in Michigan.
“The repeal of right-to-work isn’t significant not just because we repealed right-to-work, but because of what we are set to (do),” Yuen said. “We have to really invest not only in getting good candidates in office, but (also) in the fundamental stuff, which is new organizing.”
Fleischmann said though he felt the repeal of right-to-work would empower unions in the state, there is still work to be done, such as making it legal for public workers to go on strike.
“Laws in the state of Michigan are still stacked against working people and our unions,” Fleischmann said. “Public-sector workers don’t have the right to strike in the state of Michigan, and it is incredibly unjust.”
Robinson said he hopes the repeal of right-to-work will increase union membership in Michigan and by extension increase union strength and influence.
“In order to really change the trajectory our state economy has been on with growing inequality, polarization and all of the negative costs of that, we really need to strengthen the labor movement and building membership is a key part of that,” Robinson said.
Daily Staff Reporter Levi Herron and Daily News Contributor Ashwath Subramanian can be reached at llherron@umich.edu and ashwaths@umich.edu.