From Michigan - Commentary: Right-to-work campaign must not be allowed to succeed here

• By Karla Swift

By now we've all seen Chrysler's "Halftime in America" ad that aired for the first time during the Super Bowl. It is nothing short of inspiring: a stark reminder of the will of Michigan's workers to roll up their sleeves, gather collective strength, and push through some of the hardest times our state and our nation have ever seen.

We're making a comeback because we understand the power of cooperation and collaboration. As Clint Eastwood pointed out, "But after those trials, we all rallied around what was right, and acted as one. Because that's what we do. We find a way through tough times, and if we can't find a way, then we'll make one."

Unbelievably, there are politicians in our state Legislature who want to divide us and dismantle everything we stand for to appease corporate special interests. They want Michigan to follow Indiana's race to the bottom and become a right-to-work state. Those pushing the right-to-work agenda make the false and misleading claim that workers in Michigan are forced to join a union. But nothing could be further from the truth.

There are no laws forcing workers to pay union dues or belong to a union.

Even Gov. Rick Snyder and Senate Republican Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, won't get behind turning Michigan into a right-to-work state. Both have said this issue is too divisive, and shouldn't be a priority at a time when elected officials must remain focused on creating jobs.

Six of the 10 states with the highest unemployment rates are right-to-work states, and all six of those states have higher unemployment rates than Michigan. After Oklahoma passed its right-to-work law, jobs fell by 25 percent and the number of companies moving there dropped by 33 percent.

Workers earn an average of $1,500 less per year in right-to-work states, and struggle with higher health care costs and gutted retirement benefits. Right to work is a power grab aimed at weakening workers' rights that will lower wages and will not create a single job or educate one child.

This weekend marked the 75th anniversary of the Flint Sit-Down strike, which was a turning point for our country's middle class and a victory for workers wanting a safer, more secure workplace and a better life for their families. The higher wages, health care, pensions, and vacation time bargained for by workers through their unions carried over into every workplace in America, and Michigan was a leader in this important movement. Indiana just became the 23rd right-to-work state, and we need to make sure no other state, including Michigan, becomes the 24th. Why should we follow such states off a cliff, as extremist politicians would have us do, when we have an opportunity to lead?

Corporate special interests ran our economy into the ground, and it's time to take back everything Michigan has lost. What we haven't lost is our heart, and our spirit, and our belief that if we work together and rally around what's right, we'll make our way.

Karla Swift is president of the Michigan AFL-CIO.