Dear Local 85 Member, A collectively bargained wage, health care insurance, pension benefits, overtime pay and safer worksites are all benefits enjoyed by building trades union workers in Michigan. Unfortunately, those benefits that provide the union advantage are at risk. A number of laws have already been adopted by the Republican legislative majority in Lansing - and more remain in the works - that undermine working people and labor unions in favor of corporations. This letter represents Michigans Hardhats when it comes to pocketbook issues, collective bargaining and jobsite safety and regulation. When we get the wrong representation in Lansing, we get: *A RIGHT-TO-WORK LAW. Michigans new right-to-work (for less) law allows employees working side by side on union jobsites to opt out of paying union dues. Freeloaders are now able to enjoy the higher wages and benefits earned by working under a union contract, without paying the costs to administer that contract. *UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION REDUCED from 26 weeks to 20 weeks. In a weak economy, Michigans Legislature became the first state in the nation to permanently reduce jobless benefits, and our state currently ranks No. 7 in unemployed workers. *WORKERS COMPENSATION access has been made very difficult to get. Ask any of your injured co-workers who have filed for Workers Comp and you will learn how its nearly impossible to obtain benefits any more. *PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS, OUTLAWED. Numerous potential job opportunities for union members have been cast aside with the passage of a law outlawing the use of project labor agreements on state or locally funded construction projects. The current Legislature decided, for no particular reason other than to impair construction labor unions, to prevent all PLAs. *THREATS TO REPEAL MICHIGANS PREVAILING WAGE ACT of 1965. It is simply the most important law on the books that affects your livelihood as a construction worker, and it has remained in place, but barely. Theres every reason to believe that in the next legislative session, prevailing wage will be eliminated if more worker-friendly candidates are not elected to the state Legislature. If we vote for labor-friendly candidates we will re-take Michigan, and re-make it into a State that respects the rights and needs of working people. Please make sure you and your family vote on Tuesday, Nov. 4! Take Care-Be Safe, Bill
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:59:58 +0000