March 14, 2023 - Lansing, Michigan - As promised, the new Democrat majorities in the Michigan House of Representatives and Michigan Senate have made the repeal of “Right to Work” and the reinstatement of the prevailing wage law on state projects a high priority this legislative session.
“Right to Work” Repeal
House Bills 4004 and 4005 sponsored by Rep. Regina Weiss would repeal the “Right to Work” laws that were passed in December of 2012 and went into effect in March of 2013. The laws passed in 2012 prohibited the requirement to pay union dues for public and private jobs as a requirement of employment.
Rep. Weiss’ legislation to repeal these laws has passed the full House of Representatives on a 56 to 53 vote and received testimony in the Senate Labor Committee today.
On the Senate side, Sen. Darrin Camilleri has introduced Senate Bill 5 and Senate Bill 34 to accomplish the same goal. These bills also received testimony in the Senate Labor Committee today.
While the timing of additional movement of these bills in a bit unknown at this time, it’s fully expected that a combination of the House and Senate introduced bills will pass the full legislature and be signed into law by Governor Whitmer at some point, thus repealing Michigan’s “Right to Work” law.
Reinstatement of Prevailing Wage
Rep. Brenda Carter has introduced House Bill 4007 and Sen. Veronica Klinefelt has introduced Senate Bill 6 to reinstate the Prevailing Wage law in Michigan that was repealed in 2018. House Bill 4007 and Senate Bill 6 would require prevailing wages and fringe benefits on state funded projects and would prescribe penalties for violating the law.
House Bill 4007 has passed the full House of Representatives (also on a 56 to 53 vote) and received a hearing today in the Senate Labor Committee along with Senate Bill 6.
As with the repeal of “Right to Work”, it’s anticipated that one of these bills will move though both chambers of the legislature and be signed into law by Governor Whitmer.
The Construction Association of Michigan will continue to follow these two legislative developments and provide updates as they become available.