(In case you haven't been paying attention, "right-to-work" would weaken unions, lower wages and turn Michigan into Mississippi.)
One Buddhist scholar (who happens to be Uma Thurman's father) says Norquist is a traitor because he's trying to destroy the U.S. government. Norquist did say he wanted to shrink it down to the size where we can drown it in a bathtub.
Norquist and his rich backers are going all-out to persuade Michigan's lawmakers to pass the anti-union measure before year end. Gov. Rick Snyder now says it's on the agenda.
Here's what the Michigan State AFL-CIO says about all this:
The labor movement agrees with the governor that we must do what is best for the citizens of Michigan. The best way to reinvent our state is for everyone, labor and management, to work together on job creation, job training and education − like labor and management did in the auto industry.
There are some basic economic facts that should inform any thoughtful discussion of Right to Work legislation. Workers, union or nonunion, make an average of $1,500 less per year in Right to Work states. They are also less likely to have pension or health care benefits. http://www.epi.org/publication/right-to-work-michigan-economy/
The growth rate for Right to Work states before they adopted such policies is actually higher than the growth rate for these states after they adopted these laws. http://higginslabor.nd.edu/about/current-projects/
The Michigan labor movement remains committed to working with anyone who prioritizes the creation of family-sustaining jobs instead rather than partisan politics. Ordinary citizens across the state are counting on their elected officials to hear them out on this issue, and will continue to make their voices heard.
