Dec. 10, 2012 - PPM - Right to Work

This week’s PET PEEVE MONDAY (PPM) is about the uproar over the Right To Work (RTW) issue.

Freedom to Work, also known as right to work, is a simple measure that gives every worker the right to choose for themselves whether to join a union.  

The newest battleground is Michigan.

Under current law, Michigan public school teachers must pay dues to the teachers’ union.  If the right-to-work law is enacted, Michigan public-school teachers will be FREE to join the union and pay dues to it if they wish, but they will also be FREE not to join the union and not to pay it dues.

Three Michigan school districts (Warren, Taylor and Flint) have canceled school on December 11, FREEing teachers to protest the scheduled approval of a right-to-work bill at the state capitol.

Protesters can still CHOOSE to be union after RTW passes. They're angry about losing the power to FORCE others to pay dues.

Here are some education metrics for Detroit public-school eighth graders from the 2011 Department of Education reports:

-      only 7 percent scored highly enough to be rated “proficient” in reading
-      only 4 percent scored highly enough to be rated “proficient” in math.

One would hope they would score higher in Civics based on their teacher’s actions.

I had previously blogged on June 11 and September 12 this year about the Chicago Teachers Union.

Conversely, here are some economic metrics where RTW has been enacted:

According to the Wall Street Journal, of the 10 states with the highest rate of personal income growth, eight have right-to-work laws, and according to an economic study, there is a 23% higher rate of per capita income growth in right-to-work states.

The seven states with the lowest unemployment are all Right To Work states.

In Indiana, on Governor Daniels's first day in office, he decertified the state government employee unions. Within the first eight months, 92% of government employees quit paying their union dues.  Now we know why Union Dues are compulsory.  If 92% of your members leave as soon as they have the option, there is something wrong with your product.

If this country was built on FREEDOM, then it can be argued that it is a simple RIGHT that workers should never be forced to join - or not to join - a union.