Obama Right-To-Work: President Comes Out Against New Legislation In Michigan

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Huffington Post

Sam Stein

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration, in a statement Thursday afternoon, came out against proposed "right-to-work" legislation being pushed by Republicans in Michigan including Gov. Rick Snyder (R).

"President Obama has long opposed so-called ‘right to work’ laws and he continues to oppose them now," said White House spokesperson Matt Lehrich. "The President believes our economy is stronger when workers get good wages and good benefits, and he opposes attempts to roll back their rights. Michigan – and its workers' role in the revival of the US automobile industry – is a prime example of how unions have helped build a strong middle class and a strong American economy."

This isn't the first time the president has had to weigh into the state politics surrounding collective bargaining and labor law. He also spoke out against efforts by Gov. Scott Walker (R) to take away collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/obama-right-to-work_n_2253493.html?1354832828

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President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks to the media during a visit with high school English teacher Tiffany Santana, left, and others, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, in Falls Church, Va., to discuss the importance of extending income tax cuts and small businesses. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

[whathehell]

1. Yesss!

[MichiganVote]

2. Note to Obama: Talks cheap, takes a Justice Dept. to DO SOMETHING

in Michigan, for Michigan workers and with Michigan families. Not to mention the fact that the most useless head of Education policy for the country has neither said or done anything about the Republican bills to gut our education system.

So just keep talking, cuz' the Democrats in this state are getting nothing for their support of the Obama administration.

[TruthTeller]

4. agree...I was blissfully happy two weeks or so ago

because I lived in a blue state and blue county then this starts up.

[MichiganVote]

5. WE voted for this administration. Time for Obama to pay more than lip service to us.

[Shadowflash]

15. 'we' also voted in this state legislature and Governor

We also had a chance, this past November, to guarantee worker rights in the state constitution and, for some reason I cannot begin to fathom, the people (workers) voted those guarantees down.

Republicans, not being stupid, (ruthless but not dumb) probably saw that the population of the state was (apparently) not interested in preserving their rights as workers and moved to hurt them and bring them down more.

I really hate to say it but we kinda brought this on ourselves. We had the opportunity to make things like this nearly impossible and blew it.

[MichiganVote]

20. Well I didn't. The ads that were created to spook people about changes to

the Michigan Constitution effectively neutered the momentum to protect workers.

[llmart]

22. Most Michiganders are not union.....

and most people don't get as worked up about an issue unless it affects them personally. I voted for the right to amend the constitution as did some others I know who are not a part of a union, but even some very educated people I know who are staunch Democrats just didn't think it was the most important issue this election, and yes, they were swayed by the ads.

[iandhr]

8. Given the MI legislator is heavily GOP and there is a GOP governor what to you expect the him to do?

[democrattotheend]

11. What can DOJ do?

Unless there is evidence that Michigan Republicans actually received a quid pro quo bribe in exchange for passing the legislation (regular lobbying/campaign contributions don't count), I don't think there is anything DOJ can do to stop this. Right to Work for Less laws have been repeatedly held not to be preempted by the NLRA.

[WilliamPitt]

16. What can the Justice Department do?

???

[Daniel537]

17. Wrong country, bro.

We don't just go around threatening people because we disagree with what they do. Vote the legislature and the Governor out if you want this law repealed.

[strikeforce]

24. we didn't get any help in wisconsin either

[hrmjustin]

25. Welcome to DU and I hope you enjoy the site.

[TruthTeller]

3. OK--get your A## and walking shoes to Michigan NOW! nt

[Cha]

7. Thanks Omaha Steve..

...Still, the statement is a welcome sign for labor activists, who are trying to turn national attention on to what's happening in Michigan, as the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday:..

[Dman292]

9. Collective bargaining

The only problem I had with the President in the 1st term was that he didn't go to Wisconsin. I am in NY and was told that his ground workers were assisting in efforts for the workers. I understand it was a political decision with the election coming up but now the election is over and he should show his support for Mi outwardly and go to Michigan. He should also support a national collective bargaining bill.

[Purveyor]

10. Lansing political reporter, Tim Skubic, just suggested that Synder needs fed $$ for his pet project

the new International Bridge connecting to Canada and that perhaps the President could withhold those funds.

He also mentions some rail project in Detroit along Woodward Ave that Synder wants that also requires federal funding.

Finding no details in print yet but 'stay tuned'...

[whathehell]

12. Sounds like there may be some leverage there. n/t

[Purveyor]

13. Can find only one mention of 'the bridge' by a Senator from Detroit:

"There are going to be some very interesting things that happen in this state if this passes," said Sen. Morris Hood III, D-Detroit. "President Barack Obama has said he is against right-to-work legislation in the state of Michigan. There are some people around here (Gov. Snyder) who want a bridge. They may want to go to him (President Obama) for some money. As my father used to tell me — what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/18028

[whathehell]

18. I hope it's relevant, nonetheless. n/t

[nonoxy9]

14. Ooh. He made a statement... After the fact...

Still waiting to see those walking shoes.....

[underoath]

19. they have their walking shoes on to get at marijuana...

[boomerbust]

21. But he was silent

When Wisconsin needed him. What about EFCA Mr. Obama?

[woo me with science]

23. ...

http://m.

[doc03]

26. Don't blame the president there is nothing he can do. It is up to the

unions to get off their ass and shut down Michigan. This Right to Work law in Michigan is
going to go down in labor history like when Reagan fired the PATCO air traffic controllers. The unions sat on their hands and did nothing. That showed big business in this country the unions would roll over and it has been a race to the bottom ever since. I worked in a steel mill in Ohio when Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, we were willing to walk out to support them and the union leadership wouldn't back us. We need men like Walter Reuther and John L. Lewis again.
If our grandfathers that lost their lives fighting for collective bargaining in this country could see us now they would be ashamed.

[doc03]

29. You don't have to protest shut the gd state down. Aren't the

the state workers, DOT, teachers and service people in a union? Go on a slow down, gum up the works, that's how our grandfathers done it. In the mill I worked in if you just followed our management's orders to the T it screwed the place up.

[socialist_n_TN]

30. Yep a one day demonstration ON THE DAY THE BILL IS SCHEDULED TO BE SIGNED.....

is not enough, no matter how massive the demonstration. It would take continuous demos (think Wisconsin) AND even that didn't work in Wisconsin. We've got to step it up in militancy. A statewide general strike MIGHT do it and that was something that wasn't done in Wisconsin. We need to up the ante.

[doc03]

32. The people that gave birth to unions in this country had to fight and

sometimes die for it. I think the movie Matewan was the best I saw about the early union movement. Back in those days they had leaders like Walter Reuther and John L. Lewis that walked the picket lines with their members and got their heads busted sometimes rather than rubbing elbows with management at the Country Club. I think more than anything that has caused the demise of the unions is the leadership is out of touch with its members.

[Coyotl]

28. There will be a backlash against the Fascist Michigan Republicans and this will not endure

But, that is going to take a while. Meanwhile, they are forcing the Dems in Michigan into defensive mode, and a lot of energy that should be positively directed will now be needed to counter their fascism.

[blkmusclmachine]

31. What was SAID is meaningless. What did he DO ???

[primavera]

33. I love the "so-called 'right to work'" reference

"So called" is correct: "right to exploit" would more accurate.