"FREEDOM To Work" Legislation in Michigan report

Reproduced from Rattle With Us – Michigan Tea Party

“Labor Freedom: where unions are as free to make their case as workers are to make their choice.”
- Michigan Freedom to Work Coalition

I attended a (Tue. Sep. 21) “‘Freedom To Work’ Legislation discussion”. Here is a brief report of some of what was discussed…

What the key presenter (from: Union Conservatives) wanted to make clear from the start was that the issue is NOT anti-Union, nor Union busting; as he IS a UAW member currently; but was/is about Freedom Of Choice (further, Freedom of Association / U.S.Constitution Amendment 1 (extended SCOTUS rulings)). The Freedom (Individual Liberty) to Join, or not, and to Pay, or not! An actual “choice” or Freedom, NOT extortion and forced participation (forced Union-ism). This will NOT infringe on the Right to Unionize nor push de-certification of existing Unions (all those statutes remain, unchanged and in effect, as was/is – unlike what Unions want with Card-Check to make it easier to Force Unionize with a minority; non-secret – pressured – balloting).

The Left (Liberals/Progressives) insist that every woman be given the choice as to whether to abort an unborn child, but they do NOT want you to have your Constitutional Right (Freedom of Association) to CHOOSE whether or NOT to join a Union of your own free will and inclination; or NOT! The Union Leadership wants to continue (what they obtained about a half-century ago) their; monopoly within some businesses and forced dues collection; forced Union membership — NEVER to compete in the realm of ideas as to why one would want (choose) to join their Union. This is a violation of your Rights (USC First Amendment; Freedom of Association, or to NOT associate).

Many know about the Boeing/NLRB battle over SC plant/jobs, but few know that Michigan could have had those jobs if it had moved on “Freedom To Work” before. Boeing visited, and considered, refurbishing a Willow Run, MI. (see story: Michigan bids for Boeing plant) plant for its Dreamliner, but opted for South Carolina because of its “Right To Work” status.

It doesn’t take a Rocket scientist or Statistician to understand that Michigan is on the losing end of the Jobs market, and is in steep decline. One just has to talk to Family, Friends, and/or Neighbors, to find stories of those who have had to take up roots from Michigan to go somewhere else in order to have meaningful (if any at all) employment. Here are those FACTS that back up that anecdotal evidence…

• “In 2010 alone, Michigan lost 11.7% of its union workers*” (from 710,000 to 627,000).
• “Between 2000 and 2008, 4.8 million people moved from the 28 forced union states to the 22 Right To Work states – that’s one person every minute of every day.**”

Over the past decade Right To Work (RTW) states grew faster in nearly every respect than Forced Union (FU) counterparts**:

• 2000 – 2009 Growth — RTW versus FU –
• Gross state product / RTW: +54.6% / FU: +41.1%
• Personal income / RTW: +53.3% / FU: +40.6%
• Population size / RTW: +11.9% / FU: +6.1%
• Payrolls/Wages / RTW: +4.1% / FU: -0.6%
• **source: “Boeing and the Union Berlin Wall” – WSJ, 5/13/2011

Population and Job Growth

• 1990 – 2008:
• Private sector jobs growth / RTW: +44.3% / FU: -23.3%
• Population growth / RTW: +33.9% / FU: -14.8%

Likewise, “gainers” versus “losers” in Private sector jobs growth is easy to understand/see (1999-2009)***: The top five States (gainers) being Texas (+866,000), Florida (+291,600), Arizona (+194,800), Virginia (+138,400), and Nevada (+124,500), are ALL Right To Work States! While the bottom (losers) five: California (-170,400), Indiana (-225,300), Illinois (-332,700), Ohio (-508,200), and (last, 50th, with the most losses) Michigan (-687,600). *** Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department Of Labor.

See Michigan Freedom to Work Coalition
for even more depressing, but not surprising, numbers.

Wonder why some States went Blue in 2008? These statistics explain that if you factor in the [despite (R) 2010 gains] Exporting/Expanding BLUE-ism process, as folks escape Forced Union States for Right To Work States.

A brief aside: I am glad for the change in terms to “Freedom To Work” as the old “Right To Work” sounded much more like a Union leadership mentality (SOCIALIST) term suggesting someone has the RIGHT to their job no matter how lazy or horrible they are at their job (think Teacher tenure)!

“Freedom To Work” Legislation does NOT yet have a Bill number, but is easily identifiable by its name.

Key Legislators (sponsors), in this process, are Representative Mike Shirkey (MI-House #65) and Senator Patrick Colbeck**** (MI-Senate #7).
Call and/or Write your favorite Michigan Representatives to pressure them to co-sponsor any such Legislation!!
**** see: ACTION CALLS (http://rattlewithus.ning.com/page/rwuw-recall/) stopping RECALLS “Action Call,” as the Union leadership is targeting Colbeck (in WI style Thug-ocracy politics) for a Recall. Colbeck Campaign [DONATE] (here).

The following book was highly recommended: “Free Choice for Workers: A History of the Right to Work Movement” – George C. Leef.

Sources and Important related materials:
ACTION CALL: Unions attempt WI style Thug-ocracy tactics: RECALL
Acton Institute
BLUE-ism, Exporting/Expanding
ITPP (Independent Tea Party Patriots)
*Michigan Freedom to Work Coalition
Michigan Votes (see how your Representative has voted)
Union Conservatives Not all Union members are Liberal!
Union Liberty site – coming soon

As always, Regards from JLenardDetroit from “NoMoTown (The MOTORless CITY)”
Remember – “Liberals – looking to do for America, what they’ve done to Detroit. – Destroy it!”
“I think, therefore I am Conservative”
“The more things ‘hope and change’ the more they stay the same”
closing quotes attributable to (me) JLenardDetroit

Remember what the Union’s LEADERSHIP thinks of you:
James Hoffa Jr. – Detroit – Take these SOB’s out
http://youtu.be/VfzMsD2njMc/

SEE MORE “RATTLE WITH US” TEA Party items here at (BIN) Before Its News

SEE ORIGINAL: “FREEDOM To Work” Legislation in Michigan report
(Rattle With Us) SEE MORE: BLOGS
(Rattle With Us) SEE MORE: FORUM