Keeping the grass roots growing!!
Union supporters pack meeting on Right to Work
Lee Houston of Lum stood to be heard Monday evening during a right to work meeting organized by Rep. Kevin Daley. More than 350 people packed the Lapeer Center Building for the townhall-style meeting. Inset, a UAW supporter from Genesee County.Photos by Jeff HoganLAPEER — Several hundred people came out Monday evening to the Lapeer Center Building to listen to and engage speakers that were for and against the state of Michigan becoming a right to work state. A scan of the room made it clear the allegiance of the nearly 350 in attendance — scores of people wearing ball caps, T-shirts and jackets with numerous union insignia, mostly UAW and its locals across southeast and mid-Michigan.
Local teachers were also represented in the audience, including some Lapeer Community Schools staff in red T-shirts and sweatshirts who have participated in protest walks against Gov. Rick Snyder and have supported a recall drive against state Sen. Phil Pavlov, R. St. Clair Township.
Guest speakers at Monday’s townhall meeting regarding right to work were Kevin Shaffer (left) of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and state Rep. Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake who favors Michigan becoming a right to work state.Photos by Jeff HoganThe two-hour, townhall-style meeting was coordinated by state Rep. Kevin Daley, R-Lum, who sought the meeting to allow local residents to voice their opinions and ask questions of two men highly versed in the emotional topic.
The three little but controversial words, “right to work,” are on target, advocates insist. They refer to a law that bans a “union shop,” where union dues and membership are a condition of employment. People should have the right to work without being forced to join a union, they say.
But the same phrase Monday raised the hackles for union folks, who say the law is really the “right to work for less.”
Dave Inman of Millington listens as state Rep. Kevin Daley reads aloud a question asked by an audience member at the right to work meeting Monday.Photo by Jeff HoganIn legalese, right to work more specifically means that otherwise-qualified employees are entitled to work at unionized workplaces, without joining the associated unions or paying regular union dues. But right to work (nonunion) employees might have to pay unions for the portion of dues spent representing them, such as pursuing grievances on their behalf.
The meeting was peppered with numerous vocal outbursts, shouts over the speakers and muffled obscenities — mostly directed at state Rep. Mike Shirkey, a Republican who represents the state’s 65th House District that includes much of Jackson County, as well as the City of Eaton Rapids in Eaton County. At the invitation of Daley, Shirkey traveled to Lapeer County for the meeting and walked into a wood chipper of anger and frustration voiced by many audience participants.
Speaking on behalf of unions was Kevin Shaffer, business manager and financial secretary for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 17. A retired lineman for DTE Energy, Shaffer grew up in Lapeer County and is the owner-operator of Shaffer Farms in the community.
“Right to work legislation in my opinion, is not good for the state of Michigan and for the United States. It’s also not good for Lapeer County either,” said Shaffer who received at least two standing ovations from the majority in the room for remarks supporting the union worker.
In his opening remarks Shaffer listed a list of reasons why right to work states are a negative influence on the workers, their families and communities.
Shaffer suggested safety standards are not as high in right to work states, fewer employees have healthcare, there are fewer pensions negotiated through collective bargaining that would therefore put further strains on Social Security and he said in right to work states fewer dollars are spent on education.
“What we need to be able to provide for are highly skilled, highly educated people. That’s what’s important to employers and to the union members,” said Shaffer. He continued, “People that work in right to work states have a higher poverty level, which means there’s less money going into the economy. Infant mortality is also higher.”
Indiana on Feb.1 became the 23rd state to pass right to work legislation and the first in the nation’s manufacturing heartland. Despite that, said Shaffer, he hasn’t seen a mass exodus of Michigan companies and jobs headed south on I- 69. “NAFTA has a much bigger impact than right to work,” he said.
Rep. Shirkey earned a bachelor’s degree from General Motors Institute (GMI) in 1978, and a master of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1979. He is the founder and owner of Orbitform, a leading engineering company that manufactures forming, fastening, joining and assembly equipment for a wide range of industries and applications. The company provides worldclass prototype engineering services for assembly of parts and specialized forming and fastening. Shirkey also worked for General Motors in various management and engineering roles for 13 years.
A first-term legislator, Shirkey said his primary focus in running for election was to help remove obstacles to create jobs. “If right to work does pass in Michigan, the labor force will continue to represented by labor unions if their members want to. I will defend your right for you to have a choice to join a union or not join a union. Unions are free to make their case whereas workers must be free to make a choice.”
Shirkey continued, “I don’t care what color collar you wear. Green, blue or white. I only care about one thing. Providing less obstacles to make Michigan more attractive for investment.”
In the end, Shaffer said the debate between “workers choice” states or right to work rests on three issues union members should ask themselves. “It’s about accountability, transparency and that they don’t trust their own management,” said Shaffer.
Audience members who wished to address either Shaffer or Rep. Shirkey were asked to write out their questions on an index card that were collected and read aloud by Rep. Daley. Ninety-four cards were collected, though only about 20 were heard in the allotted time that included closing remarks.
Daley suggested he believes the right to work question will be put before voters in the form of a ballot issue. “I don’t have an opinion yet on this. That’s why we’re doing this so we can hear more from the people here in Lapeer County on this matter.”
Gov. Snyder has said he’s not particularly interested to take on the right to work debate during 2012, suggesting it’s too divisive at a time when the state economy is just starting to rebound.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t make it happen,” said Jerry Sarwinski, 54, of Columbiaville. “I am so damn tired of the Republicans doing everything to help the big corporations at the expense of the employees who work for the companies. I would be willing to sign a petition to get the right to work issue on the ballot. I think most Michigan residents would not support this if we had a chance to vote on it.”
Lee Houston of Lum worked for 41 years in the concrete industry, starting at age 16 working a jackhammer. “My problem is that the politicians sound like they pretty much have their minds made up no matter what we say.”
A local contingent of the Lapeer County Tea Party Patriots was also in attendance. “I thought it was great that Rep. Daley held this meeting. He knew it was going to be emotionally charged, but he still wanted to do it. I’m not sure if anyone changed their minds tonight, but this is the way government is supposed to work. Out in the open for everyone to participate in,” said Larry Leidlein.
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