Killing Union Dues: Now, Michigan

Following up on California, another find from Jeff Kaufman on Michigan. But if you missed it read our earlier post: Coming Soon to a State Near You: Another Attack on Unions with Right to Work Suits

So let me get this straight. The Michigan Republicans who believe in choice, local control, blah, blah, blah, won't even let school districts that WANT TO collect union dues do so?

Federal appeals court won't hear argument on teacher union dues

1:38 PM, July 3, 2013

A federal appeals court says it won’t take a second look at a Michigan law that bars school districts from helping unions collect dues from employees.

In May, a three-judge panel at the court overturned an injunction that had suspended the law. The full court recently signaled that it doesn’t want to hear another appeal by unions.

The law was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2012. It stops payroll deduction of union dues paid by teachers and other school employees and forces them to write a check.

Detroit federal Judge Denise Page Hood stepped in and halted the law a year ago, saying lawmakers were trying to starve unions. State attorneys now are waiting for Hood to erase that injunction, following orders from the appeals court.

This reminds me of Chicago where the smuggies thought that needing 75% to vote a strike was a union killer. Imagine a union that can actually collect union dues itself and avoid that sword of Damocles hanging over its head. Here in NYC it might come to 18% based on voting totals while 50% of retirees might pony up -- to get all those subsidized (by you) $5 courses.