Politics

Right-to-Work Union Chaos Returns to Midwest Inside Michigan Capitol

In a scene all too reminiscent of last year's eruption in Wisconsin that led to a recall vote on Gov. Scott Walker, multiple arrests have been made this afternoon and police are spraying mace at pro-union protesters inside the Michigan State Capitol.

By Alexander Abad-Santos
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In a scene all too reminiscent of last year's eruption in Wisconsin that led to a recall vote on Gov. Scott Walker, multiple arrests have been made this afternoon and police are spraying mace at pro-union protesters inside the Michigan State Capitol, reports the Detroit Free Press. The furor took to Lansing as Gov. Rick Snyder unveiled and introduced his legislation to make Michigan a right-to-work state. "Police arrested several protesters and sprayed mace into the crowd when they tried to rush the Senate floor," reported the Free Press's Kathleen Gray, gleaning information from Michigan State Police Inspector Gene Adamczyk. "At about 12:30 p.m., State Police said no one was being allowed into the Capitol — including employees — because it was at capacity. Even UAW President Bob King was having trouble attempting to get inside, reported Gray and her colleague Paul Egan earlier.

At stake in the new Michigan fight are measures similar to those taken up by the state legislature last February in Madison, Wisconsin: "So-called right-to-work measures generally prohibit requiring unions from collecting fees from nonunion employees, which opponents say drains unions of money and weakens their ability to bargain for good wages and benefits," reports the AP, adding that "supporters insist it would boost the economy and job creation."

But with a Republican-heavy state legislature, Governor Snyder's effort to make Michigan a right-to-work state is likely to pass — making it the 24th such state stripping those union rights. Not that protestors were taking anything sitting down:

This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.