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  • Rick Snyder The Associated Press

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February 9, 2012

Other View: Not the time for 'right-to-work' fight

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Michigan's Legislature should follow the lead of Gov. Rick Snyder and avoid staging an ugly confrontation over right-to-work legislation.

Snyder repeatedly has stressed his desire to focus on core problems facing the state and stay away from divisive issues that distract from more important matters.

Right-to-work laws prevent labor unions from negotiating "closed shops," where all workers in the represented unit must pay dues.

Those who favor such laws say that all workers should have the right to work at a job without being forced into union membership. Those who oppose them point out that once the majority of workers have democratically voted for union representation, the union is required to provide services to all the workers; thus, letting some opt out of membership creates a situation where "free riders" get the benefits of union representation without contributing toward the costs.

Last week, after testifying in Washington, D.C., on job creation, Snyder told reporters he does not favor pursuing right-to-work in Michigan this year. Speaking of confrontations in neighboring Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana over laws that challenge unions, Snyder said, "If you want to draw it as a contrast, you look at now that they've had those things happen, do they have a productive environment to solve problems? Not necessarily. They're still overcoming the divisiveness, the hard feelings from all of that."

Indeed. Indiana had protests last week when passing right-to-work legislation. Last year Wisconsin had a protracted, bitter battle over laws to strip most collective bargaining rights from public sector unions. Also last year, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Republican lawmakers passed a law to limit unions' collective bargaining rights that was later repealed by the state's voters.

Instead, Snyder speaks of his approach as "relentless positive action," which he considers "fairly unique."

He is steering the state through its challenges with collaboration rather than confrontation. Snyder prefers to focus on key priorities needed to strengthen Michigan's economy. Those include funding essential improvements to roads and public transit and helping the chronically unemployed connect to jobs.

The Legislature has a full plate with just the issues Snyder has targeted. To divert from that path with a divisive side issue would be a mistake.

Lansing State Journal

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