Michigan lawmakers voted to impoverish working people in their state yesterday by approving a right-to-work-for-less bill.
Though protests raged outside the Capitol (because protesters were LOCKED OUT), Michigan's elected officials were emboldened by the financial support offered by loony billionaires such as Dick DeVos and the Koch brothers.
The Morning Sun reports,
Republicans rushed right-to-work legislation through the Michigan Legislature Thursday, drawing raucous protests from hundreds of union supporters, some of whom were pepper-sprayed by police when they tried to storm the Senate chamber.
The House voted 58-52 to approve a measure prohibiting private unions from requiring that nonunion employees pay fees. The Senate passed a similar bill hours later 22-16, with Democrats denouncing it as an attack on worker rights and the GOP sponsor insisting it would boost the economy and jobs. Separate legislation dealing with public-sector unions was expected to come later.
Because of rules requiring a five-day delay between votes in the two chambers on the same legislation, final enactment appears unlikely until next week. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who previously had said repeatedly that right-to-work was “not on my agenda,” told reporters Thursday he would sign the measures.Or as the UAW put it,
In a devastating blow to the middle class in Michigan, Republicans, bankrolled by wealthy, corporate CEOs, passed anti-worker legislation tonight which promises to flatten wages and crush workers’ rights.The bill will become law on Tuesday. Make your plans to go to Lansing.
