Dive Brief:
- Michigan’s repeal of its “right-to-work” law took effect Tuesday, becoming the first such repeal since states began passing the laws in 1944.
- Michigan Republicans passed a “right to work” law. in 2012, and went into effect in 2013. Last March, the Democratically controlled state legislature annulled the law.
- According to the right inclination National Committee of the Right to Work26 US states currently have “right-to-work” laws, and Michigan is one of the most recent to pass one.
Diving knowledge:
“Right to work” laws prohibit “union security” agreements, which require employees to pay union dues as a condition of employment in a unionized workplace.
Union members pay dues, can vote in leadership elections, and are represented by the union in contract negotiations and labor disputes; however, unions can represent and obtain benefits for non-union workers, the National Conference of State Legislatures pointed out. Because these negotiations can be expensive, states without “right-to-work” laws allow unions to charge nonmembers a fee to recoup these costs.
Supporters of “right-to-work” laws say that without them, workers are deprived of the choice of whether or not to join a union or pay dues, resulting in “Compulsory trade unionism.” They also argue these laws attract companiesthus the growth of the private sector.
Opponents say these laws weaken unions’ ability to secure better wages, benefits and working conditions for workers. According to an analysis by the left-wing think tank Institute of Economic Policywages in “right-to-work” states are more than 3% lower than in non-“right-to-work” states, “even after controlling for a full set of worker characteristics and state labor market conditions “.
Union membership in the US is at a historic low, according to Gallup, despite high public approval. This may be surprising given the large number of news stories about unionization, but Gallup explained that “while the absolute number of union members has increased, non-union jobs have increased faster.”
In the wake of Michigan’s repeal, the state’s private-sector employers should expect unions to push to add safety clauses, attorneys have said. The repeal will not affect public sector employers, as the US Supreme Court determined that non-union public sector employees could not be required to pay union dues in the 2018 decision. Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 31.
