Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on March 1, 2006

Click here to view bill details.

No way.

Mr. Gosselin's bill 5771-5772 creating a right to work state. This bill would further diminish the middle class in our great state. It has done so in other right to work states.Please don't allow our state and our country become another Mexico where there is no middle class.Thuis bill is anti worker and anti American to say the least.

First of all, this bill only addresses government workers, not workers in the private sector. Secondly, voluntary labor unions are fine. But, coercive labor unions harm everyone (even those who belong to one, in the long run.) See "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt, chapter 20 for a short, clear, precise explanation.

The unions have been the ones to "diminish the middle class in our great state". At one time the unions were useful, today they are an obstructionist arm of the Democratic/Liberal/Socialist party. Many fine companies have left this state because of them. The plants that open in other non union states pay about the same wages but don't have all the stupid work rules that keep productivity down. The unions think that if productivity goes up then they won't have as many workers to take money from. If fact as productivity goes up, you can sell for less, this in turn creates more sales that makes the company hire more workers.

Actually, as productivity goes up, the billionaires can lay off more workers. If they need more workers later, they can use this handy little legislation to hire the same workers they laid off at half the wages they used to make. Companies are leaving this state and country not because of unions, because of healthcare. New plants are opening in Canada, Canada has strong unions, but it also gives its ciizens healthcare. US Companies, which are in bed together, want their employees to pick up the bill, god forbid they don't want to take money from their health industry friends. Its much easier to take from the workers, unless they are UNIONIZED.

Canada does have "free health care". The only problem is that it is not very good and it sure as heck ain't free. When you pay half of your paycheck in taxes, 15% tax on everything you use or buy and fuel tax that makes their gas cost about double what we pay you can't really call it free. Hospitals over there look like ours did in the 60's. The equiptment is old and the waiting times for tests are ridiculous. All the socialist medicine program does is create another bloated government run fiasco. All the Canadians that I know run for the states as soon as they get sick. I can't understand why the unions want socialized medicine since all it does is transfer the costs to the worker instead on the company. Nothing is free. Nothing the government does ever get better or cheaper. One other big drawback is that if the government thinks that you are costing too much they can dial down your care and soon you are gone and they save a few bucks.

If I went to work in a factory, the first thing I'd do would be to join a Union.—Franklin D. Roosevelt No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level --I mean the wages of decent living.—Franklin D. Roosevelt It is to the real advantage of every producer, every manufacturer and every merchant to cooperate in the improvement of working conditions, because the best customer of American industry is the well-paid worker.—Franklin D. Roosevelt The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.—Franklin D. Roosevelt

These quotes by FDR are from a different time. Now, the bloated union bureacracy is as much the "establishment" as management is. Work rules, frivolous grievances, and the entitlement attitude damage our ability to compete. Businesses are leaving MI for non-union sunbelt states. The wages and benefits are very similar. I know. I lived down there. But the flexibility of the work rules makes a dramatic difference. People complain about inefficient government, but the unions in government add to the problem.

I work in government. In my office, if I send one person to training, they can't come back and share the information with other employees, because "training is a management function". So, in order for eveyone to benefit, I either have to send every employee, or only train management personnel. I don't have the money to send everyone, so only management gets trained. So the union's success is -- none of their members are sent to training. The office is divisive because I have 2 "it's not my job" people, supported by the union, and 2 "what can I do to help you" people, chastised by the union. When I worked in non-union offices, employees who went to training came back and shared the information. Employees took turns going to classes and teaching others. Net result -- everyone had the chance to learn, and to teach. The office worked well because they all helped each other.

I am a citizen of Iowa-A Right To Work state. It sure works fine for us ! Unions were created BEFORE such things as OSHA and EEOC existed. There were there to prevent unfair labor practices by corporations and business owners. Unions are not not needed "to protect people from harm" any more-- Actually THEY are the reason we have lost so many jobs overseas! If you can convince me that Unions help eliminate low paying jobs that NO U.S. CITIZEN WANTS I might feel different. This is America-- where EVERYONE is free to choose! Unions go againist that principal! We have a self correcting system where a job is offered at a certain pay rate---if no one wants the job at that pay rate--the pay will be upped to get takers! It works great! Unions have priced the US right out of the market in many areas. Look at the Auto Industry- if jobs were made available at a certain rate of pay/ benefits --to attract the common man and did not involve Unions--- many more young people would be attracted to the auto industry and costs and prices would be lower so we did not loose jobs to other countries. Again RTW has worked great in Iowa and gets our state new Companies vs.our Non RTW state neighbors.

Thanks for that! I cannot believe that citizens of the US can be forced to be in a union. I have been and I cannot stand their tendency to "hate" management and lower work standards. I want Michigan to become a Right to Work state so that my kids can come back here to work. As it stands since 2006 3 of my kids have moved to other states since graduating College.

Canadian spends $400 a month on health care insurance. The only ones that get it for free are the non working slackers and it is not worth much more than they pay for it.

It's amazing that anyone in Michigan is even considering this. I live in a right-to-work state. Nothing that you are being told about this piece of legislation could possibly be accurate. It undermines a union's bargaining power lowering wages. Then, because the union is weaker and can no longer make even the demands that it once did, the wages go down again and the union takes the blame for it. The cycle repeats itself and then instead of a teacher being paid a respectable wage as in Detroit, they get bottom rung pay and cannot afford to live in the same district they teach in. I'll not kid anyone and say everything the unions ever did was right. At the same time, if you think that killing unions will stop outsourcing, think again. Florida is a right to work state and most of the call centers still left for India. This is the worst possible piece of legislation I've ever seen! Please vote it down! From your friend living in Florida and wishing for a closed shop state!

left for india because they can hire educated people who will work for $2.50 an hour. THAT'S why they went to india. if they would have been able to hire english speaking people in antarctica for that amount of money or less, they would have gone there. unions are the reason that $10,000 cars are going for $25,000. top dollar pay should be reserved for top dollar performance, not for mere existance.

on a wage of $2.50 an hour?

having to pay union dues so the union can pay to elect tax and spend liberal democrats, the prevailing wage would be a lot less. how much does the union take from YOUR paycheck? multiply that by how many thousand union workers here, of course you want this state to be union, the democrats couldn't get re-elected without the FORCED PAYMENT OF UNION DUES TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. i think that unions should get the hell out of politics and worry about the welfare of their workers, THEN AND ONLY THEN will i support them.

and the same cycle has happened there, only the pay went down for LESS QUALIFIED TEACHERS. the MORE QUALIFIED TEACHERS remained at the higher pay scale. they must pass RE-CERTIFICATION ONCE A YEAR. in other words, they are not paid just to be teachers, they are paid to be GOOD TEACHERS. isn't that how it's supposed to be here? and by the way, the teachers there don't pay for political action committees. they pay for BENEFITS.

it's 2007 inflation is at 5.4

it's 2007 inflation is at 5.4 percent wages have increased 3.3 percent on average. health insurance has increased by 50 percent and this has happend as unions have become less powerful let's wait 15 more years and see if these numbers get any better.also if a company wants to move it's workforce overseas to enjoy cheaper labor cost maybe our government can step up and have that company keep there product overseas and sell there products to people with no money

When {exactly} are we going to be "blown away"? Who voted for this fraud? Re-Call, anyone?

in the south `right to work' laws work well.why you ask? it's simple beggers can't be choosers. in the north we stick together and demand a voice for our labor.that voice provides `us' with a better standard of living that help's our families get better wages,health care and retirement.after all,we don't just go to work to pay the bills we go to work to provide for our families.don't forget this is america it's about `us' the people not corporate intrest of greed

The reason why unions are no good is because people are no good. NO ONE backs up their neighbor or fellow worker. Confidential employees everywhere who are narcissistic, selfish and think only of themselves. We don't stick together as a group like in George Washington's era when they formed the constitution. If Pete could not grow his corn because he broke his leg then Ben will not be able to feed his cattle. Ben and other townspeople would help Pete because a break in the link would finish them off. As we are today! the worker is finishing himself/herself and cutting our own throats. If workers would seriously get out of debt! Stick together! Vote as one, dismantle the 4th level of government known as the "News Media" Quite voting for people just because they have a college degree. Quite giving credence to the News Media proven to be domestic enemies of the Constitution by their continued biasas. What do you think our founding fathers would have did to the editors in their time if they practiced the deeds practiced of today? WE AS WORKERS ARE FINISHED, DONE, SCREWED, WIPED OUT, A THING OF THE PAST.

5 percent of the people have 95 percent of the money.right to work laws help that 5 percent.sounds good lets do it everywhere.then we can all go on public assistance and live happily ever after.

5 percent of the people have 95 percent of the money.right to work laws help that 5 percent.sounds good lets do it everywhere.then we can all go on public assistance and live happily ever after.

that have right to work are doing financially better than us. go figure.

i'm from boston ma.and grew up around new england.where there are no right to work states.we have the best hospitals in the world'which are union.we have the best group of colleges in the world 'm.i.t' 'harvard' 'boston college''northeastern''suffolk law' to name just a few which'by the way employ tons of union people.boston itself was built union and the place is beutiful.but the best part of all everybody who works here has money and if you work here long enough.you'll probibly have a nice house a good education' health benefits and a retirement plan.myself' i'm just a everyday run of the mill union carpenter who lives in a great town in a nice house who has health benefits and a great retirement plan.if you think that a right to work law would make new england and surrounding states such as new york and conneticut better than why haven't we done it? it's simple less isn't better

east coast the ONLY beautiful cities on the planet? how long were they 'beautiful' before the unions came into existance? i'd say about a hundred years or so. unions WERE necessary to ensure worker safety, worker fairness, and sometimes to protect worker's ability to work. who are the unions 'protecting' the worker from now? in 'union' states, a worker cannot get a job without being 'in the union'. leaving only union workers eligible to work. how is this 'fair'? in 'union' states, a worker must be paid 'union wages' no matter what the prevailing wage is. how is that doing anything but bringing up the 'cost of doing business'? in 'union' states, a worker is charged union dues. these dues not only go to 'protect' the worker from 'work related' losses, but to elect democrats, and ONLY DEMOCRATS to public office. there is not one union that supports republicans for public office, and unions spend far more of the WORKER'S MONEY to elect democrats than they spend on 'protecting' the workers from anything. i'd say that 'unionization' would have a much easier time surviving in todays atmosphere if it weren't so much about electing democrats and so little about 'protecting workers'. perhaps when unions give up being the fund raising arm of the democrat party, and return to their ORIGINAL PURPOSE of protecting the worker, they will discover that there is precious little to 'protect' the worker FROM.

worker could get the same job you have, at the same wage, wouldn't he AUTOMATICALLY make more money if he doesn't have to pay union dues? wouldn't YOU make MORE MONEY if YOU didn't have to pay union dues?

who does the union protect? when huricane katrina devastated new orleans pres bush wanted to repeal the davis beacon act which protects the previaling wage laws.imagine that' your city is gone and so is your home.now you have to go to work to rebuild it and the government wants to pass a law to pay you less.who stopped them? the democrates. why? because it was the right thing to do. the union does more than just protect it's members it still protect all workers rights.who do you want looking out for your rights as an american worker? as far as unions supporting republicans it use to happen all the time up untill pres reagan was elected almost all union people voted for him.then what did he do? he went to war with them and busted as many as he could. right now we've had seven years of republican leadership.are you doing better now than you where seven years ago.most people aren't.thank god i've kept my dues up im doing all right.

right to work state. has been for about twenty years. the president repealing that law had no effect whatever on the prevailing wage in louisiana. it's not set by politicians, it's set by businessmen. maybe that's why it's costing less to fix louisiana than it is to fix mississippi,alabama, and florida after SIX hurricanes.

that just when the union can see the writing on the wall with hillary's socialized medicine scheme coming that they decide they will agree with GM and take over the health care for employees and retirees. With this deal comes about 40 billion dollars for the union savings account. Will they give this money back when we get socialized medice and our tax rate double? I think not. Somebody at the union headquarters is going to get rich and the working guy thinks that they are looking out for him. These same folks don't trust the people that want to cut their taxes but put absolute trust in some union boss that has never worked a day in his life. P.T. Barnum would be proud.

You Say "when huricane katrina devastated new orleans pres bush wanted to repeal the davis beacon act which protects the previaling wage laws." If he would have abolished all labor laws and taxes for two years the place would look like shangri-la by now. The problem down there is that the libs/dems/socialists have made most of the folks there totally dependant on the nanny government by purchasing their votes with tax dollars for the last 50 years. For cripes sake, if you knew about an impending disaster for four days could you get your family out or would you sit and wait for the government to cary you to safety?

the south is totally republican that's why the poverty level is so high.they do not believe a persons labor is worth much.people work for next to nothing.ask yourself this how are you going to retire? how are you going to support your family if you get sick? a smart person would ask themselves these questions.a person of a lower i.q. would be asking themselves questions like this.should i take the job with the pension or without one.or how about this one should i do the same job im doing now for less money. get this you fools who worry about how much somebody else is making.it dosen't matter!what you make is what you spend it goes back into the economy and improves it.the northeast has remained completely unscathed by almost every recestion.why you ask? because were all making money and were all spending it.down south.you can't spend what you don't make.get smart.start worrying about your one and only life you've been given.your worth it.a ceo or corporation will never pay you what your time is truly worth. it's an uphill battle.so those of you who feel you are under paid.start climbing

right to work for less!right to work for less!right to work for less!right to work for less! right to work for less!right to work for less!right to work for less!right to work for less

How's that working out?!!

you say "the south is totally republican that's why the poverty level is so high.they do not believe a persons labor is worth much.people work for next to nothing" I know 10 people that have moved south ( florida, georgia and s. carolina) and make MORE money, have better weather, pay less TAXES, have more freedom and enjoy life outside of your little nanny state. The "poverty level" in michganistan is terrible thanks to jennys great ideas. We have the worst unemployment rate, business is moving out at a record clip and you are oblivious because some union hack with a 3rd grade education told you to vote democrat and the union will take care of you. The union only cares about keeping all those high paying cushy union jobs down at the union hall that create nothing,(except empty beer cans) improve nothing and sell nothing. Wake up little socialist.

doing so much better financially than we are? because they are RIGHT TO WORK STATES.

people who have left the north east and have moved down south should make more money down there.we can read ,speak ,and know how to make money off of people who do not know how to stick together and organize.you people are eazy ,you believe everything you try to read.but you guys are getting better since you've been `lernt in book smarts'

if you don't make enough money to feed youself you get food stamps.if you don't make enough money to rent an apartment you live in a project.if you can't retire because you don't have a pension you keep working untill you die. sounds like a great plan for americans.right to work laws only affect the middle class.ask a ceo or a millionair to work for less. they wont.if you make under 500k a year and believe in right to work laws you are indeed a fool