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2012-11-08 Home Front: Politix

'Message Sent': Collective Bargaining Mandate Fails In Michigan

Preparing the battle space for changes at the state level. Governor Walker of Wisconsin showed the way, and others are following. Tuesday may yet prove to have been the last presidential election where the unions were a major force.

Michigan voters rejected a controversial measure to enshrine collective bargaining in the state Constitution.

The union-backed measure mustered only 42 percent support with most precincts reporting. Voter approval would have made Michigan the first state in the nation with such a constitutional guarantee of collective bargaining rights.

The proposed amendment known as Proposal 2 would have prohibited the Legislature from approving any new laws to restrict collective bargaining.

Unions called for the measure after Republicans who control the House, Senate and Governor's Office pushed through more than 30 bills restricting collective bargaining rights after taking office in January 2011. The retroactive measure also would keep Michigan from becoming a right-to-work state, where there would be a ban on requiring union membership to be employed.

Experts have said Proposal 2 was a referendum on unions. About 18 percent of Michigan's workforce is unionized, and slightly more than 12 percent of private-sector workers are in a union. Unions collected more than $21.5 million for the fight through late October, much of it coming from national unions including the National Education Association, United Auto Workers and International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Who now won't have that money to spend on other causes...

Posted by trailing wife 2012-11-08 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Who now won't have that money to spend on other causes...
Sure, but they'll make up for it by collecting dues from the out-of-towners who came to help with Sandy recovery. Disgusting creatures.

Posted by Bobby 2012-11-08 06:00|| 2012-11-08 06:00|| Front Page Top

#2 It's Michigan, Bobby. They're a bit far away to profit from hurricane Sandy.

Posted by trailing wife 2012-11-08 07:16|| 2012-11-08 07:16|| Front Page Top

#3 Good move Michigan. These unions are criminal enterprises.

Posted by JohnQC 2012-11-08 07:34|| 2012-11-08 07:34|| Front Page Top

#4 haha!! I voted absentee and said HELL NO on this nonsense! Good, at least one win for the good guys. They voted back in Stabenow (aka Stab-a-cow) and obviously Obummer. I've been trying hard for yrs to remove stabenow. Idiot state.

Posted by Broadhead6 2012-11-08 08:37|| 2012-11-08 08:37|| Front Page Top

#5 The unions won in Caliphornia.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2012-11-08 11:06|| 2012-11-08 11:06|| Front Page Top

#6 Meanwhile, in Wisconsin...

Republicans retook control of the State Senate. So, after all the recalls, protests and other blather Walker and the Republicans are firmly back in control.

Posted by Iblis 2012-11-08 12:50|| 2012-11-08 12:50|| Front Page Top

#7 Two union-related proposals were smacked down in MI. The one mentioned in the article as well as another that would force-unionize home-based caregivers and allow the Service Employees International Union to collect money.

Another proposal to require utilities to generate 25% of their power from green source was also shot down. Power grabs and nonsense aside, stuff like this just does not belong in a state constitution.

Posted by SteveS 2012-11-08 13:27|| 2012-11-08 13:27|| Front Page Top

#8 slightly more than 12 percent of private-sector workers are in a union

Does that 12% include Government Motors workers, or are they in the public unions category?

Posted by Glenmore 2012-11-08 13:34|| 2012-11-08 13:34|| Front Page Top

#9 SteveS, right. I saw that and voted against that as well. The gov't needs to stay out of putting numbers to how energy production will be done in a state referendum. And, anytime I am not sure on a proposal, all I ask myself is - will this initiative (if it passes) make a fellow citizen pay more in a tax? If so, I always vote no.

Posted by Broadhead6 2012-11-08 15:49|| 2012-11-08 15:49|| Front Page Top

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