A campaign to keep Michigan legislators from enacting a "right-to-work" law is holding a rally tomorrow in Lansing. The "Protect Our Jobs campaign" is hoping to put a constitutional amendment proposal on the November ballot that would "protect collective bargaining rights."
If passed, a "Right to Work" law would allow workers individually to opt out of paying union dues.
Workers in union represented workplaces in Michigan today are required by law to pay dues.
They can opt out of the union, but they still have to pay "an agency fee." As Michigan Radio's Lester Graham reported, "that fee covers the cost of the union’s collective bargaining and grievance handling processes."
From the Protect Our Jobs campaign's press release:
Working men and women from across Michigan will gather at the state Capitol in Lansing tomorrow to formally launch the “Protect Our Jobs” campaign. Grassroots volunteers will begin gathering signatures tomorrow to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to protect collective bargaining rights, and strengthen the middle class.
Here's more from MPRN's Rick Pluta:
A ballot drive will launch tomorrow to try to guarantee collective bargaining rights in the state constitution. The so-called Protect Our Jobs campaign will be run by a coalition of unions and progressive political groups. The campaign wants to put a question on the November ballot asking voters to approve an amendment to the state constitution. The amendment would preempt about 80 measures pending before the Legislature that would restrict union organizing, dues collections, and how political donations are collected. It would also block efforts to enact a right-to-work law in Michigan. The campaign would have until July 9th to collect more 323,000 signatures of registered voters to make its goal of qualifying for the November ballot. Organizers also hope the question would help boost turnout by Democratic voters in the election.
