Right to work

As a former union member, I feel compelled to comment upon the approval of right-to-work in Michigan.

After a period as a member of a union, in my case the California Teachers Association local organization, I departed.  There were multiple reasons.  High on the list were the NEA and CTA using forced union dues for political purposes, without my consent.  Also were the local union association officials' unsupportable positions on changing the school schedule structure to provide two week breaks in the fall, because "it was a great time to get good travel deal."  When I finally had enough and resigned, I was forced to become an agency fee payer to the union.

Moreover and most disturbing, I was slammed by the local association president in a note he sent ot all union members, stating that if one was anti-union, then one was unAmerican.  After serving my country in union for 30 years, I found the assertion disgusting.  I asked to meet with the association president, with a third party.  As the meeting started, he jumped up and declared he didn't have to listen to this "BS," before I'd even attempted to make my point.  He simply refused to discuss the matter, showing the enormous lack of character I've found elsewhere in union officials.

When labor strays from collective bargaining to self protection and hyperbole, when it uses union dues without permission for political purposes, when it castigates those who criticize it, when it condones violence (as occurred in Michigan), then it is appropriate that the right-to-work laws are put into place.

Interestingly, where right-to-work laws have been enacted, labor memberships have shrunk. 

Nothing is clearer than this indication the members don't see value in the unions, once freed of the mandatory requirement to join.