Tag: Freedom to Work

A quick read of the article makes it seem that the Mackinac Center is suing the Teamsters to compel them to represent a non-paying employee in a grievance action. It seemed strange to read:

"The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of four former Teamsters union workers who say charging them a fee to file a grievance because they opted out of paying dues is in violation of the right-to-work law passed in December.

Teamsters Local 214 in the city of Dearborn said effective July 1, it would charge $150 to employees who opted out of paying union dues to file a grievance, according to the lawsuit. .."

Gantert's story DOES reference the key:

"The lawsuit contends that even though the four employees no longer pay dues, they still are forced to be represented by the union."

The real story lies elsewhere.

As August rounds the mid-mark, any Teachers in Michigan wishing to terminate dues paying to the union they might feel does NOT represent them should take note. The MEA is going to make it as hard as possible to consider your options.  The statement by MEA President Steve Cook that the union would use

"any legal means at our disposal"

Cook should note that some of those within the union might well have been willing to wait and see if the union would attempt to be more representative, given the circumstance.  Instead, it doubles down, and drives home the reason that Freedom-To-Work is now law; that an out of touch overpaid political machine exists within its (the MEA's)ranks. Cook is an example of lousy leadership that has no expectation of capitulating to law or common sense with regard to the treatment of those who pay his six-figure income.

OK. Fine.

For those of you who feel pressured to make that decision within the next two weeks?  The Mackinac Center has provided a means by which you can tell Cook to go to the back of the lunch line. A prepared and downloadable opt-out letter that tells him where to stuff it. (here is a sample I did in 30 seconds)

Part of that task is to provide an atmosphere that PROMOTES a healthy dialogue between employer and employee. A couple of points made below should be noted.

Michigan Freedom To Work, a coalition of union and merit shop workers, employers, retirees and thousands of grass roots activists favoring more Michigan jobs, labor freedom and workers' choice, today announced its analysis of proposed Medicaid expansion in Michigan.

"Medicaid expansion as proposed in HB 4714 is anti-worker and anti-jobs,"

"It is designed to triple Medicaid payments and add nearly 500,000 more to Michigan Medicaid rolls. It will encourage employers to hold down hours and wages, and place a glass ceiling over those workers seeking advancement. Earn a quarter raise and lose your insurance? Many of those already having private sector insurance will lose that preferred care and they will be dumped on Federal public insurance. It may save some companies money to push some of their operating costs on our grand children but it will disrupt the employer/employee relationship and shock Michigan's fledgling recovery into a tail spin. That is not wise public policy.

The possibility of Right-To-Work legislation in a state considered so incredibly 'hands off' was too unbelievable, that even the national right to work folks scoffed at those of us conferencing in Lansing were preparing it.  They were planning some help for Indiana and possibly Ohio, but Michigan? No way.

We persisted, and believing the governor's pre-election pledge that if it came before him, he would sign it, daily efforts were made to advance this important freedom, and relief from organized labor's non-accountability. It was focused, and had too many parts that would eventually lead to its successful passage, to give credit to one entity, or idea or effort. All hands were on deck, and the trick was getting it in front of the governor to sign.

Which he did.  And we thank him for honoring his promise.

While the fight to KEEP it will go on for a couple of years, we should celebrate this point in time with vigor.

That debate is whether or not to advance contracts for bargaining units so that those units will operate under a closed shop for as long as possible.  Union leadership, in order to extend their hold on the workers is willing to concede items already won.  Public sector employers, seeing an opportunity to get concessions not so easily given before, is eager to capitulate. By golly taxpayers are well served, right? Win Win, right? Right?

I guess its a matter of perspective.  

For the employees, they get to find out how well they have been served by their bargaining masters.  Being locked in so that they can lose a perk or two, and with an added bonus of having several more years of unaccountability?  A BARGAIN at half the price!

Even a contract signed as recently as November can be reopened and dealt away on the basis of expected health benefits costs, and a college which hopes to limit its exposure

" MCAAP and MCCFO took the offer, he surmised, because they were going to be subject to the health care changes before the end of 2013 anyway."

A few more shekels out of the employees pockets, so that they may remain the property of the union for an additional 5 months.

Detroit News

"We're trying to keep my grandfather's reputation back where it belongs," said his grandson, Geoffrey Hoffa, a physician assistant in Arizona. "Most people hear the name Jimmy Hoffa and have a negative image. They hear the Letterman jokes. It's a shame that people don't know more about what James R. Hoffa did and that he always stood up for the underdog."

I wonder why the negative image keeps coming up when Hoffa is mentioned...

The Detroit News captures union thugs tearing down an Americans For Prosperity tent during a protest against Michigan's new Right To Work law.