Mich. Readies for Another Round of Right-to-Work ProtestsMonday, 10 Dec 2012 09:39 AM Michigan police are bracing for another wave of demonstrations today and Tuesday in Lansing, where protests broke out last week related to right-to-work bills making their way through the legislature.
In a reversal of his past position on the anti-union
measures, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has said he would sign
right-to-work legislation when it reaches his desk,
according to the
Detroit Free Press.
His sudden decision last week to work with the
Republican-controlled legislature on a measure making it
illegal to require the payment of union dues or other
support to unions as a condition of employment touched what
the newspaper described as "a political firestorm" last
Thursday.
Eight people were arrested when demonstrators tried to storm
the Senate chamber. The police shut them out by closing the
heavy doors, but a court order a few hours later forced them
to be opened again to the public.
Demonstrations are expected to grow even larger this week,
especially on Tuesday when the legislature could pass a
final bill and send it on to Snyder for his signature. It's
possible a final vote could be pushed back to Wednesday,
however, the Free Press reported.
The newspaper also reported that police are preparing for
strong protests, given the fact that union members from
across the state participated in civil disobedience training
in Detroit on Saturday in preparation for the demonstrations
planned at the state Capitol.
As a precaution, the police planned to clear the area around
the Capitol today, limiting parking access and closing some
nearby streets.
Michigan, home to the headquarters of the U.S. auto industry
and the United Auto Workers, has one of the largest union
presences in the country. If right-to-work legislation
becomes law there, the state would be the 24th to place
restrictions on union activities for both public and private
employees.
Snyder, who in the past has called such laws "too divisive,"
now says he supports them because they create jobs by
attracting more business and investment, and will make the
state more competitive.
Opponents, which include a handful of Republicans who have
sided with the Democrats on the issue, insist the Michigan
bills are all about "union busting" and have little to do
with real job creation. They criticize Snyder for "selling
out" to rich corporations and businesses by embracing
right-to-work, which they labeled as another "extreme"
measure pushed by Republicans to restrict workers' rights.
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