LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Republican 17th District State Senator Jonathan Lindsey was in the minority Tuesday as the Democrat-led Senate approved legislation repealing the state’s Right to Work law.
The 20-17 vote was along party lines.
The bill goes back to the State House for final approval after they passed their own version last week.
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks said they are taking action to “empower workers by restoring the rights that they have always relied upon”.
Lindsey issued a statement through his office after the vote which blasted Governor Whitmer and Democratic leadership in the Legislature. He said they, “appear to be focused on sending this state backward. It took over a decade’s worth of work, economic reform, and responsible budgeting to dig Michigan out of the lost decade and show the world we meant business. Repealing Right to Work sends a message to employers that we are not serious about growth and to the rest of the state’s workers that their needs and the needs of their family come second to those of Democrats’ union supporters.”
He went on to say, “Union membership should not be a condition of employment. After Right to Work’s passage, those who felt their views were represented were able to choose to participate in a union — those who did not were no longer forced to pay for underrepresentation. We’ve turned the clock back with this vote and are again forcing workers to pay for inadequate representation — something that flies in the face of our nation’s founding values. Propping up unions is outside of our duties as legislators. We have obligations to Michigan taxpayers, not union bosses.”
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