IUOE Magazine - International Union of Operating Engineers

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Politics & Legislation Michigan’s “Right-to-Work” Law Confers No Rights and Creates No Work Right-to-work laws confer no rights and create no work — they’re an attempt by employers and the politicians they bankroll to keep workers unorganized, unrepresented and underpaid. Nevertheless, the lame-duck Republican legislature in Michigan recently passed a so-called right-towork law, which was instantly signed by the governor. Here’s why that was a big mistake for Michigan’s workers and economy. Right-to-work proponents claim to be fighting “forced unionism.” But under current federal law, no worker is required to join a labor union. That same federal law, however, requires unions to represent everyone at a given workplace — member or not — in contract negotiations and in settling work-related problems with employers. Since it’s obviously not fair for dues-paying union members to pick up the tab for services provided to nonunion members, nonmembers are sometimes charged a service, or “agency,” fee. None of the money collected in agency fees can be used for political, social or any other activities besides employment representation. So in reality right-to-work is “right-to-freeload” — to get a very valuable service, union representation, without paying for it. As proof, consider that as labor has declined in influence in the past few decades under fierce attack by big money interests, we’ve seen the progress of the middle class stalled and the nation’s wealth gap widen. But because unions still do a good enough job of making sure the economy works for their middle-class members, the economic elite would like them completely destroyed. Rightto-work is their favored tool. And it’s effective. After all, if workers can get free union services under rightto-work laws, why would anyone pay dues? As dues decline, so does the strength of the union, until it finally disappears. Believers in the free market should be offended by right-to-work laws. They interpose the power of the state between the employer and the union by forbidding them to freely enter into an agreement on the kind of “union security clause” that creates the nonmember agency fee. In other words, it makes it illegal for the agreement to require employees to pay their fair share of representation. Proponents of right-to-work laws argue that enactment will lead to economic growth through a more business-friendly environment. Study after study has found this claim to be untrue. For example, a 2011 study by Gordon Lafer of the University of Oregon and Sylvia Allegretto of the University of California at Berkeley found that right-to-work laws have not positively impacted job growth. One part of the study examined the economic climate in Oklahoma after the 2001 passage of right-to-work. The study found that unemployment had doubled in Oklahoma since enactment and that new business arrivals had actually declined. The study also found that the lower wages and economic insecurity of workers in right-towork states could make business less inclined to relocate because of declining tax revenues and consumer demand. Studies like this and a simple comparison of employment rates and wages between rightto-work states and non-rightto-work states makes it fairly certain that Michigan will not reap any economic rewards from the new law. Instead, it represents a step backward that the state cannot afford. Until we and our elected officials come to grips with the fact that a race-tothe-bottom has no winners, workers and the economy will continue to suffer from the short-sightedness of the misnamed “right-to-work” movement. [article] Don Kusler, Executive Director of Americans for Democratic Action. Reprinted with permission. 14 international operating engineer
Local 18 Ramps Up the Fight Against Anti-Labor Legislation Last year, a Tea Party affiliated group filed a constitutional language amendment to make Ohio a so called “Right-to-Work” (RTW) state. The petition language was approved by the Attorney General and the amendment was named the “Workplace Freedom Act.” The amendment seeks to prohibit union security clauses in collective bargaining agreements in both public and private labor agreements. In light of these developments, Local 18 has taken action on several fronts. They have beefed up the RTW portion of the Labor History classes the local has sponsored since 1994. In addition, they have opened up the classes to non-members, bringing the message of RTW and its financial impact to workers across the United States to as many working people as possible. The local has also been working with other union allies and invested in polling and focus groups to gain a better understanding of the public’s view on labor unions and RTW. The results were eye opening and the local promptly began a statewide educational campaign on the issue. The most visible aspect of the campaign are billboard messages across the state which brand the Workplace Freedom Act as dangerous for Ohio workers. Deemed somewhat controversial, they garnered attention in newspapers and on local broadcast news stations when the billboards first went up. But that exposure has been another way to “spread the word on the dangers of right-to-work to a broader audience,” according to Local 18 Business Manager and International Vice President Patrick Sink. “ B i g business has stripped this country of good jobs by outsourcing to cheap labor nations. Now they want to strip American workers of their ability to have strong unions, which will weaken collective bargaining. The attitudes and expectations of big business are taken from the business blueprints of the late 1800’s,” Sink said. The local has also launched a website and is using social media and internet ads to get the word out. (see www.protectohiosmiddleclass.org) Financial support for these initiatives is coming from several sources. “After consulting with General President Callahan, we have garnered his support and assistance to “educate the voters.” In addition, our membership overwhelmingly approved a dues increase to begin January 1 of this year and which is earmarked specifically to fund this effort,” Sink reported. “We are also working closely with the AFL-CIO and “We Are Ohio” groups for statewide education.” The goal is to continue educating union members, their families and the general public so that if the “Workplace Freedom Act” appears on the ballot in Ohio, it will be soundly defeated. WINTER 2013 15
Page 1 and 2: i n t e r n at i o n a l Operating
Page 3 and 4: i n t e r n at i o n a l Operating
Page 5 and 6: From the General President A look b
Page 7 and 8: Local 450’s new Union Hall and Tr
Page 9 and 10: It took 15 sidebooms, six cranes, a
Page 11 and 12: As I stood in front of the Dr. Robe
Page 13: The competitiveness of the nation a
Page 17 and 18: Feature Wrath and Recovery Operatin
Page 19 and 20: legislation authorizing badly neede
Page 21 and 22: Protecting Canadian Workers’ Righ
Page 23 and 24: Healthcare Good Nutrition and Weigh

IUOE Magazine - International Union of Operating Engineers

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?