Michigan State Rep. Tim Greimel (D - Auburn Hills) is slamming the state's Governor and legislature for trying to ram through right-to-work legislation in its lame duck session.
"The Governor said last week that he wants a thoughtful discussion of this and about a day later, he decided to ram this through this legislature," Greimel said on Jansing & Co. " There was no opportunity for public input."
"It was passed on the floor of the state house. That is the opposite of democratic transparency," said the Mich. State Democratic party leader -elect. "It is really a slap in the face to democracy, to do this in the waning hours of lame duck."
Michigan lawmakers are poised to give final passage to the right-to-work legislation Tuesday. The controversial measure would ban workers from being required to pay any money to a union as a condition of employment. Mich. St. Rep. Greimel admits the bill will likely pass and Gov. Rick Snyder (R- Mich) has already said he will sign it.
It's an about-face for the Republican Governor who said he would not put take up the issue last February. Then last week, Gov. Snyder put the legislation on his agenda and urged the Republican legislature to pass it before the end of the year.
"It is a remarkable thing that we have a governor who campaigned as a moderate, who said over two years that this issue is too divisive for Michigan and now he is its biggest fan," said Greimel to Chris Jansing. " So either he was lying when he called it too divisive or he by his own admission, is an extremist who is pushing an agenda that is too divisive and extreme for our state. "
Michigan State Police are bracing for massive protests on Tuesday when state lawmakers are expected to push the Workplace Fairness and Equity Act through final passage. Thousands of people descended upon the Capitol in Lansing last Thursday in protest of the legislation.
If the bill passes, Greimel thinks it will have a negative impact on employment in the state.
" We’re gonna see the wages decline," Greimel said. " We are going to see good benefits decline. We're gonna see work places become less safe."
Michigan would become the 24th state to make paying union dues voluntary. Indiana made the same move in February.