Michigan slated to become 24th Right to Work state

Right to work legislation passes Michigan's Republican controlled state legislature. If, as expected Michigan's republican governor signs the bill, Michigan will become the nation's 24th right to work state. This move definitely disadvantages unions by allowing workers to refuse to belong and pay dues to a union, despite the fact the union is obligated to represent those workers. While the current battle advantages opponents of labor (and not all employers fall into that group), it may give serious impetus to reforms advantageous to labor. Big labor should seriously reconsider the existing compulsory union model in favor of federal legislative reform permitting micro unions and voluntary unionism. Micro unions would permit small groups of employees to unionize, irrespective of the desires of a majority of employees in the entire enterprise. Voluntary unionism would permit dissenters to opt out of not only obligations to fund a union, but also representation by the union. Those dissenters would be free to bargain directly with their employer.