Michigan voting on "right to work", what is the controversy here?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Is the answer to weaken the unions or to restructure them along with campaign finance reform to limit their political influence?

I've also yet to see any evidence that right to work laws have any measurable benefit to states. Most likely they'll result in lower paying jobs, perhaps more jobs granted, but not the kind that will accumulate wealth for the workers.

It will help the investors though, so many of whom are foreign entities.

-spence

"Is the answer to weaken the unions?"

So, you're OK with forcing workers to join a union they don't want to join, in order to bolster the union's strength? That doesn't seem a bit totalitarian to you?

Here is what liberals will not admit on this issue...this law only weakens unions, if people freely decide that they don't want to belong to the union. If no one feels the union is adding value to themselves, please tell me why we should artificially bolster the power of the unions? Spence, if the auto workers don't want to belong to the union, but you think the union is important, then YOU can sign your pay over to the union. Who the hell are you to say that an auto worker should be forced to give money to a radically liberal political organization? By what divine right does the union confiscate money from those who don't want to be associated with the union?

"Within manufacturing unions can have a positive impact."

Pricing themselves out of a job? Bribing corrupt politicians to give them pensions that can never, in a million years, be adequately funded?

"I've also yet to see any evidence that right to work laws have any measurable benefit to states"

Because you won't find that evidence at The Daily Worker's website. Here is the evidence...in those states, workers have the right to choose whether or not they want to support a labor union. They are no longer compelled by law to give money to an organization they do not wish to support. In a free society, that should be an obvious right, one that should not generate any controversy.

"Most likely they'll result in lower paying jobs'

Spence, which would you rather have? A job that is sustainable in the long-term, or a higher-paying job that will result in the bankruptcy of the company?

"It will help the investors though, so many of whom are foreign entities."

Every American with a pension or a 401(k) or an IRA is an investor.