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MEA joins labor coalition to fight Right to Work initiative
Supporters of this anti-worker
proposal expected to launch
petition drive to put question
before Michigan voters in 2008
general election.
Michigan may be the target of a Right
to Work initiative next year, and MEA is
working with other labor organizations to
oppose this anti-worker proposal.
MEA and other coalition members— under the umbrella of “Right to Work FOR LESS”—will campaign to educate members about the dangerous consequences of Right to Work laws and to keep the initiative off Michigan’s 2008 general election ballot.
The extreme-right supporters of Right to Work laws are expected to launch a petition drive to put the initiative before voters next November.
“Right to Work FOR LESS” isn’t some catchy slogan—it speaks volumes about the impact this initiative would have on Michigan workers if adopted.
Right to Work is bad for Michigan. The average workers in Right to Work states make $5,900 less per year than workers in free bargaining/union states. Workers in Right to Work states also are less likely to have health benefits.
Of particular interest to public school employees, Right to Work states spend $2,260 less per pupil on K-12 education, and high school dropout rates run 18 percent higher in Right to Work states.
MEA Board member Bill Papo, a professor of printing management at Ferris State University, recalls his experience working in Florida, a Right to Work state, as a professor at Florida A&M from 1983 to 1985.
He didn’t like what he saw there and says MEA members need to get behind the effort to squelch this anti-worker initiative in Michigan.
“At Florida A&M, less than 20 percent of the faculty actually belonged to the Florida EA/NEA,” Papo said. “We had to represent all faculty members, including those who didn’t belong. Their attitude was, why pay union dues when we can get the benefits of representation for free. That’s not fair. If you get the benefits of belonging to a union, you should be paying your fair share.”
Papo fears for the future of the middle class if Michigan becomes a Right to Work state. “Workers in Right to Work states are paid less,” he said. “The well being of our middle class will be in jeopardy unless every union works together to defeat this.”