12/7/12 - Local lawmakers say controversial legislation that sparked protests at the state capitol Thursday is simply about freedom of choice for employees. The Republican-controlled state House and Senate each passed their own versions of right-to-work legislation late Thursday, which prohibits unions from collecting mandatory fees. Republican State Representative Bill Rogers of Genoa Township and GOP Senator Joe Hune of Hamburg Township support the legislation and say it gives employees freedom to make their own decisions. Rogers says these are all working adults and they should be allowed to have some flexibility instead of being forced into something. He says unions were formed a long time ago when people were truly abused. Rogers says there are enough federal and state regulations that protect employees now and feels questionable companies wouldnât have any employees and end up out of business anyway. Hune also doesnât buy the current public policy arguments being made and says if an employee decides they donât want to pay into a union and fund activities they might disagree with, they will no longer be mandated to. Outnumbered Democrats angrily denounced the bills, while several union activists packed the Capitol building in Lansing. Democrats say the legislation is nothing more than an attempt to erode workers' rights and is being shoved through during a lame duck session. Both Hune and Rogers anticipate the legislation will be signed into law by Governor Rick Snyder sometime next week. Photo courtesy the Associated Press. (JM)
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