Hunton Employment & Labor Perspectives

Michigan GOP leaders announced plans on December 6, 2012, to fast track “right to work” legislation during the lame duck session.  Just hours after the legislation was introduced and amid protests at the state Capitol, both the state Senate and House of Representatives approved bills prohibiting private-sector unions from requiring non-union employees to pay union dues as a condition of employment.  The Senate also quickly voted to approve a bill banning public-sector unions, except those representing police officers and firefighters, from requiring non-union members to pay union dues. 

A final enactment by the Legislature could take place as early as Tuesday, December 11, 2012, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who previously stated that “right to work” laws were not on his agenda, has said that he will sign the measures into law.

The proposed legislation would make Michigan the 24th “right to work” state.  The other twenty-three states are:

1.   Alabama
2.   Arizona
3.   Arkansas
4.   Florida
5.   Georgia
6.   Idaho
7.   Indiana
8.   Iowa
9.   Kansas
10. Louisiana
11. Mississippi
12. Nebraska
13. Nevada
14. North Carolina
15. North Dakota
16. Oklahoma
17. South Carolina
18. South Dakota
19. Tennessee
20. Texas
21. Utah
22. Virginia
23. Wyoming