Legislation being considered in the Michigan Senate would make it mandatory for companies to provide labor unions with employees’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses every 90 days.
According to testimony presented by Democrat Senator John Cherry on Thursday before the Senate Labor Committee, the goal here is to ensure that those who are legally obligated to represent employees have access to information about which employees they are obligated to represent and the means to get in touch with those employees and fulfill their requirements of representation.
Republican Senator Thomas Albert has voiced concerns that the bill would invade citizens’ privacy without justification. An alternative measure that hasn’t been voted on yet also aimed to provide employee wage information to unions. He said there were no further safeguards to protect personal information.
Mary Drabik, director of communications for the Michigan Freedom Fund, is a vocal opponent of SB 169.
She said in an email that SB169 is the latest in a long line of Democrat overreach that prioritizes the interests of union bosses over those of hardworking Michiganders. That Democrats would propose this at a time when a union leader is suspected of being a serial predator of female coworkers is just beyond the pale. Union bosses should respect the privacy of workers who choose not to join their union.
Jonathan Byrd, to whom Drabik was referring, had been accused of sexual harassment and had resigned from his positions at the Michigan Laborers’ District Council and South Central Michigan Area Labor Council on March 23.
MNA President Yousef Rabhi agrees with the legislation. The former Democratic congressman claimed the legislation would safeguard employees and patients from harm.
Rabhi emphasized the significance of nurses having the authority to monitor compliance with our contract in the event of an emergency.
Making sure public sector workplaces are safe and democratic requires, among other things, the ability to reach out to nurses to ensure their rights are being recognized, he noted.
The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 899, introduced during the 2021-2022 Legislative Session.
With the House, the Senate, and the governor all in Democratic hands, the party is working to restore Michigan’s status as the labor movement’s hub by abolishing right-to-work and reinstituting the prevailing wage.
