UAW seeks to alter Michigan's constitution, enshrine collective bargaining as a right for all

From mlive.com:

A push by labor groups to amend the state Constitution is more about turning out liberal voters for the November election than anything else, a Michigan Chamber of Commerce representative said Tuesday.

Labor groups unveiled ballot language they say would enshrine collective bargaining as a right for all Michigan residents.

The proposal would also stop the state Legislature from passing any laws limiting collective bargaining, including the 80 pending bills the campaign says chip away at workers’ rights.

Jim Holcomb, Senior Vice President for Advocacy of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, said before the announcement that the business group was interested to see the substance of the ballot language and had yet to take a formal position.

But he also said that many people saw the ballot drive as something different.

“I can tell you that many people are seeing this as what it is: a partisan, political power grab,” Holcomb said. “It’s funny that the same group that says it’s too divisive to even talk about Right to Work legislation now comes forward with this.”

The West Michigan Policy Forum issued a statement in which it called the effort a “power grab by union bosses” that would not allow workers to choose whether or not to join a union.

This would make Michigan the first Right Not To Work state, though they seem to be doing a decent job of that without the legislation.