Michigan AFL-CIO Applauds Votes Repealing DeVos-backed “Right to Work” and Restoring Prevailing Wage
LANSING, MI – Today, the Michigan state House passed bills to restore worker freedom by repealing so-called “right to work” and restoring Michigan’s prevailing wage law. Worker suppression policies like “right to work” and the repeal of prevailing wage lead to lower wages, worse benefits, and lower workplace safety standards. Backed by megarich corporate interests like Besty DeVos, these worker suppression tactics have devastated Michigan workers and their families over the past decade. Michigan will be the first state in almost 60 years to repeal a “right to work” law once House Bills 4004 and 4005 are passed by the state Senate and signed into law by Governor Whitmer. In response, Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron BIEBER issued the following statement:
“Today, our pro-worker Democratic majority in the state House took historic action to undo the devastation caused by decades of attacks on workers’ freedom. Since 2012, thousands of Michigan workers, labor leaders, and organizers across the state have been mobilizing and laying the groundwork for this moment. We applaud the House’s swift action to undo the damage caused by Betsy DeVos, John Engler, Rick Snyder and their worker suppression agendas. We know the Senate will quickly follow suit in order to get these bills to Governor Whitmer’s desk as soon as possible. Today, our legislative leaders are delivering on the promises they made and putting power back into the hands of Michigan workers.”
The Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan’s largest labor organization, is a federation representing forty different labor organizations, eighteen different central labor councils, and eight constituency groups representing over 1 million union members and their families.