Posted on 12/20/2012 7:22:47 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The passing of a right-to-work law in Michigan is a hugely significant development. In my mind, Michigan would have been the last state to pass legislation removing the requirement for workers to join a union as a condition of employment in unionized businesses.
As welcome as this new law is for those of us who recognize how economically pernicious and ethically debased compulsory union membership is, the reporting of the story has been marred by sloppy, inaccurate usage of a key word: rights. Heres a typical example from Reuters: Michigan weakens union rights in home of auto industry.
Americans greatly value rights. Its in our DNA. However, no rightsneither unions nor anyone elseshave been lost by passage of this right-to-work law. What has changed is that unions can no longer compel a worker to pay dues to them as a condition of employment. That was never a right, but a powera power that had been bestowed on unions by prior legislation conferring upon them a privilege. Unions in Michigan have lost a privilege, not a right.
In fact, rather than infringing on anyones rights, Michigans right-to-work law restores a lost right to workersthe right of voluntary association. Our Declaration of Independence and the Constitutions Fifth Amendment name liberty as an unalienable right; now workers in Michigan have the liberty to choose whether to join or not join a group as each ones conscience dictates.
American labor law has been out of whack for the last century. Unions have been given special powers and privileges that have trampled on the rights of their fellow citizens. Consider:
Do businesses have a right to block you from purchasing from their competitors? Do Kellogg employees have a right to stand in the cereal aisle of a grocery store and interfere with your right
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
“No Union Rights were lost”
Oh yest there were. The right of unions to sieze money from people who do not support them or their causes or their preferred socialist politicans has been lost to them forever.
RE: The right of unions to sieze money from people who do not support them
That is of course, not a RIGHT.
I think its the single most damaging thing we could have done to the democrats. Better than $250 million leaves Michigan every year to fund national democrat politics.
Now I want to see other states do it. After all if we can do it in Michigan, it can be done in most forced union states. Plus I like the idea of forcing the democrats into another big fight that will distract them from gun grabbing.
excellent article.
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