A Republican state lawmaker wants school officials to justify employee contracts that could be used to skirt Michigan’s new right-to-work law.
The right-to-work law takes effect March 28. It allows workers to opt out of paying union dues and fees, but it cannot supersede existing contracts.
School officials in some Michigan districts have negotiated concessions with unions in exchange for dues arrangements that last as long as 10 years.
Schools have used the negotiations to get concessions on salaries and work rules.
State Representative Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) is calling school officials before his oversight committee.
He says he wants them to prove taxpayers are getting their money’s worth out of the contracts.
He just called officials from Warren Consolidated Schools before his committee for a hearing in two weeks, but he cannot compel anyone to show up.
Earlier Taylor school officials declined to appear.
Wayne State University has yet to answer his request to have officials come before his committee to explain its employee contracts.
