West Central Michigan News

Michigan’s approximately 50,000 state employees will have to reauthorize union dues deductions from their paychecks yearly starting Tuesday, Sept. 1, thanks to the Michigan Civil Service Commission’s approval of a rule change.

The commission voted three-to-one on July 13 to approve the rule amendment that requires state workers to reauthorize dues deduction each year, according to The Center Square.

The commission’s four-member body consists of James Barrett, Jase Bolger, Janet McClelland and Jeff Steffel, according to the Michigan Civil Service Commission website.

Voting against the rule change was McClelland, and voting for the change were Barrett, Steffel and Bolger, according to the Service Employees International Union Local 517M Michigan Public Employees.

The change protects the rights of workers, proponents say; opponents say it's an attack on organized labor.

Michigan Corrections Organization members sent the commission over 500 emails asking for a no vote, according to KYI. “Thank you, members, for raising your voice against this attack on our union,” said KYI's website.

Opponents, such as George Heath, a 32-year state employee and member of SEIU 517M, spoke to the commission before the vote. He said the proposed action attacks organized labor, negatively affecting unions’ collection of membership dues, according to a YouTube video of the July 13 meeting.

“I have no inclination to think this group hasn’t already made up their mind on this decision, and this hearing is nothing but to fulfill an obligation,” said Heath in the YouTube video.

“Unfortunately, it appears to me that this body has kind of become a tool to eliminate public unions, and that would further aid in the demise of the destruction of private unions and therefore stifle workers in general," Heath continued. "Evidently, in 2012, the Right to Work Law didn’t kill public unions fast enough or efficiently enough, so here we are back again with a big club to take a swing at organized labor.”