Listen to Ross and Burbank weekdays on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM
 Ross+Burbank


Most popular
Help us build a Fisher House
Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.
AP: c845775d-f40f-4fd2-a995-9b967db51819
A protester walks past Michigan State Police at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. The crowd is protesting right-to-work legislation passed last week. Michigan could become the 24th state with a right-to-work law next week. Rules required a five-day wait before the House and Senate vote on each other's bills; lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday and Gov. Snyder has pledged to sign the bills into law. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Blowback

BY Dave Ross  on December 11, 2012 @ 7:54 am (Updated: 8:25 am - 12/11/12 )

Right-To-Work states are states where even if your workplace is unionized, you're not forced to join the union. You earn the same as union employees, get the same job protections, but you don't have to pay union dues if you don't want to.

Unions call those employees free-riders. But the free-riders argue, 'why should we pay for protections we never asked for?' To which the unions say, wait 'til you see what happens to your wages if all that stuff goes away.

Michigan workers are about to find out, because a Right-To-Work bill has been gliding through the Michigan legislature with surprising speed and in Detroit, WWJ Newsradio 950's phones are on fire with opinions on both sides.

Maybe Michigan's employers will all turn out to be like Costco, which is famously generous even though it's non-union.

But the kicker is that all this actually began with a campaign to PROTECT unions. Unions got a measure on the November ballot to lock their collective bargaining rights into the State Constitution, as protection from the Right-To-Work Movement.

But the measure was TROUNCED 58-42. In a state that went for Obama!

It was blood in the water. The Republican legislature attacked and now all the unions have left are massive demonstrations.

"About 2,000 people in the (Capitol) building, upwards of 10,000 outside and we have 150 troopers watching, trying to keep the peace."

By the way -- the new Right-To-Work Bill does specifically exempt two unions: the firefighters and the police.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
More Ross and Burbank

MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (42)


  • Add A Comment

  • sportsguru wrote...
    I am torn on this issue
    December 11, 2012 7:35 am

    Unions were needed back in the day and they have provided much needed advocacy for the worker against the employer. At the same time, if a union runs a state, you can't work unless you are part of that union and I don't think that you should have to go thru a union to feed your family.

    I fear that if the union loses within 10 yrs, employers will go back to abusing the workers, I also think that the unions don't always negotiate in good faith with employers based on the bottom line which is profit margins, they want more of the profit even if the company is not making a lot of money.

    What I do know is this is an historic decision that could be a tidal wave thru the US if it sticks and it could crush the unions nationally because there will be no reason to join the union if non-union employee's have the same benefits as the union without paying the extortion fee.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Check this map of union-friendly vs. anti-union states:
    December 11, 2012 7:51 am
    http://tinyurl.com/a3dcrcg

    A few things, beyond the map maker's humorous choice of a highly biased title:

    1. The union-friendly states are, in general, much more prosperous than the anti-union states. How could that be? The poor, poor, businesses on the west coast and the NE are forced by the union thugs to shell out a living wage, thereby cutting into bottom line profits. Hmm, maybe it has something to do with the fact that a fairly compensated work force has more purchasing power with which to *consume* the goods and services their employers supply? (The Henry Ford theory, in action).

    2. The map is very similar to the distribution of people with advanced education in the US, vs. high school graduation or less.

    3. There is a striking similarity to the electoral college map from the last election. Is this because the unions somehow force their members to vote Democrat, or is it because populations in more prosperous and better educated portions of the country (west coast and the NE)have recently been more likely to lean Democrat than Republican?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    If you're protesting, you're not working
    December 11, 2012 7:56 am
    The issue is the right to work vs the right to not work and still get paid. Dems, as usual, are schizophrenic - pro-choice when it comes to abortion, smoking dope, and marriange. Anti-choice when it comes to employment.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    No ONE is required to JOIN A UNION
    December 11, 2012 8:11 am
    Lets get that straight right now.You are also NOT REQUIRED to pay Union dues,OK? What you are required to pay if you work in a Union shop is an administration fee that offsets the cost of contract negotiations.CG brought up the EXCELLENT point that the so called Right To Work States are almost exclusively the LOWEST wage payers in the nation and also the states that pay the fewest share of the National tax base which results in them becoming WELFARE STATES (they are subsidized by the more affluent States and I understand how you Rightys feel about WELFARE)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    Only a fool would believe that unions have not chased away business to Texas and the south.
    December 11, 2012 10:57 am
    only a illeterate fool!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Priceless comment of the day: "illeterate fool"
    December 11, 2012 12:47 pm
    Sort of says it all. :-)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    It does Chuck
    December 11, 2012 1:02 pm
    Say it all
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    chuck for the 100th time I have said I dont spell check these blogs, they are not a business report or a class paper.
    December 11, 2012 6:30 pm
    I get in, make a quick post and leave to do something else. Why do u make such a deal about spelling on a blog? He11, logical aint even my name-
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    logical
    December 12, 2012 9:53 am
    You never fail to deliver.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    According to a 2011 Bureau of Labor Statistics report:
    December 11, 2012 8:18 am
    Across the nation as a whole,

    Union employees earn $917 per week. Non-union, $717 per week.

    92% of union employees were offered access to health insurance through their employers, while only 68% of non-union workers could purchase health insurance at group rates through their place of employment.

    82% of union workers get paid sick leave, vs. 63% of non-union workers.

    The average union worker gets 28 more days of holiday and vacation pay, each year, than the average non-union worker.

    Wages for *all* workers tend to be higher in states with active union presence, as non-union employers compete with union employers for the best or most skilled workers.

    Would working conditions be "just the same as they are now" if there were no unions? Doubtful. Non-union employers, statistically, are *already* paying less and offering fewer benefits.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • logical open mind wrote...
    chuck-try comparing apples to apples for crying out loud. Check into the non union Boeing workers in Southg Carolina. I have been there and worked with S carolina Boeing.
    December 11, 2012 11:00 am
    you probably buy the lie that women earn 70 cents to mens $1. apples to apples, haven't you learned this yet?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    I'm not torn at all
    December 11, 2012 8:20 am
    In my industry a non-union worker earns almost 3 times the amount of a Union Worker performing the same job. A non-Union work will have to pay about $200 a month for insurance for their family. A Non-Union workers has a matching 401K, profit sharing, and annual bonus that's about 30% of their salary.

    A non-union worker can set their own hours, pays no union dues, and wait... wait... this is REALLY WEIRD... the Non-Union worker portion of the company is earning a profit verses the Union side.. The Non-Union side of the company has not laid anyone off for at least 5 years verses annual layoffs on the Union side..

    Shall I go on and on and on and on..

    Of course.. on the non-union side we are expected to perform verses simply showing up at the worksite.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    cdbtz
    December 11, 2012 9:03 am
    Whats the line of work that you are in?Your industry MUST be scared to death of the Unions (to your benefit)to over pay you in order to keep the Union out. Now tell us WHY would anyone be a Union member in the Industry you work in?Sounds as if you full of Anti Union B/S. As Judge Judy says "if it don't sound right it probably isn't right".Your attempting to say that If the Union guy is making $50,000 that your making $150,000 and you only have a extra $200 monthly for Health Insurance and have a 401K plus profit sharing,and is that 30% Bonus figured in as part of that 3 times amount or is it added to that $150 K figure making your annual pay $184,450?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cdbtx wrote...
    Gould
    December 11, 2012 8:23 am
    What percent of the Union workers are Gov't Employees?????

    Gould what purpose does the Union serve for Gov't employees - seriously, if the Gov't is your Mommy and Daddy... don't you trust them?

    You're voting to place all your personal responsibilities into the hands of the Gov't.. you expect them to educate you, house you, feed you, take care of your health, protect you.. Yet.. you don't trust them to pay you a fair wage..

    Me thinks someone's brain is faulty..

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DJFavorite wrote...
    I'm neither pro or anti union
    December 11, 2012 9:13 am
    I have some questions though to some of the arguments posted. It was stated that places like CA are union states (non right-to-work) and have the highest income. Well, they also have the highest cost of living, right? So, if there weren't the union requirements, they wouldn't need as much, because the cost of living would be less?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Union Violence , Threats and thuggery.
    December 11, 2012 10:24 am
    http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/2515629#.UMeFp3hkmhS
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    What does it mean?
    December 11, 2012 10:49 am
    I can work in a union shop without paying union dues if I don't want union representation. Unions were relevant 70-80 years ago.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    flipper
    December 12, 2012 10:13 am
    Your uniformed,no where in the USA is it necessary to join a Union or pay Union dues.What happens in the Right to Work States is that employees do not need to pay the administration fee that the unions were collecting for bargaining the contract that the union has with the employer.So now those that want to free load can free load. Of course if too many workers Free Load the Union is destroyed.Its called Union Busting.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • DesertRez wrote...
    I was just in a pre-job meeting yesterday....
    December 11, 2012 11:08 am
    For an HVAC PM; The foreman holds the work package, the sheetmetal guy has to unscrew the cover to the unit, the electricians (2) and the pipefitters (2) do the clean/inspect. If they need any parts the teamsters have to go pick them up. If a dead mouse is found laborers have to clean it up. Any fuzzy and noble view of unions you have will be dispelled if you have to work like this every day. Unions are needed in China, not in the U.S. anymore.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }