--- title: Right to Work in Michigan description: Right to Work in Michigan --- ![Overland Resource Group](https://www.orginc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ORG_2017_Q1/ORG.jpg?t=1483128475379&width=215&name=ORG.jpg "Overland Resource Group") For full functionality of this site it is necessary to **enable JavaScript**. Here are the [instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser](http://www.enable-javascript.com/). - [Login](https://org.mocaworks.com/logon/) - [913.829.1241](tel:9138291241) [![ORG_Brand_Logo_215x102-01.png](https://www.orginc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ORG_2017_Q1/ORG_Brand_Logo_215x102-01.png?width=215&height=102&name=ORG_Brand_Logo_215x102-01.png "ORG_Brand_Logo_215x102-01.png")](https://orginc-2633051-hs-sites-com.sandbox.hs-sites.com/) - [What We Do](https://www.orginc.com/what-we-do) - [Organizations](https://www.orginc.com/organization) - [Organizations + Unions](https://www.orginc.com/organizations-unions) - [Case Studies](https://www.orginc.com/case-studies) - [Who We Are](https://www.orginc.com/who-we-are) - [Blog](https://www.orginc.com/blog) - [Podcasts](https://www.orginc.com/podcasts) - [Careers](https://www.orginc.com/careers) - [Contact Us](https://www.orginc.com/contact-us) # ORG Blog ## Right to Work in Michigan by [Robert Hughes](https://www.orginc.com/blog/author/rhughes), on December 13, 2012 In Michigan this week a Lame Duck set of state officials have now added their state to the 23 other states that are “Right to Work” states.  This was accomplished without a popular vote by attaching the act to an appropriations bill that does not require a popular vote to be decided.  Naturally, organized labor sees that as a dirty trick and will no doubt find legal mechanisms for seeking to reverse it. My question is - given the large number of corporations in Michigan (think auto industry) who already have union represented workforces, how does this improve the situation?  Yes, now an assembly plant worker can opt out of union membership and no longer be required to pay dues.  However, if the union contract states that assembly workers in his or her plant are represented by the union, then that is still the case.  In other words, management and union leaders will still be required to discuss and agree on the terms of employment for any assembly worker in that facility whether or not they are union members. Politics aside, the goal for Michigan legislators is to assure their state offers corporations an opportunity to be winners in a competitive world.   In a state that is so unionized already, that requires creating contracts and union/management relationships that support and sustain competitive workplaces.  Their actions this week unfortunately are likely to make matters worse within the already unionized industries.  It is very challenging for any union to represent workers who are not involved enough to pay membership dues or vote on their own contract. State leaders encouraging local union and management leaders to take a collaborative approach to becoming more competitive is a far more logical path to a productive environment, especially in a state in which unions already represent a very significant portion of the population. Robert Hughes *For an example of union/management collaboration leading to a more productive environment, see the Perry’s Ice Cream Case Study in the Our Clients section of the Overland Resource Group website at www.orginc.com.* Topics: [Collaboration](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/collaboration) [Labor Management](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/labor-management) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2633051/fcb6e8cf-0376-4788-8ae8-c5c775f2fc4b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2633051/fcb6e8cf-0376-4788-8ae8-c5c775f2fc4b) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Collaboration (55)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/collaboration) - [Labor Management (46)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/labor-management) - [Leadership (44)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/leadership) - [Sustainable Change (21)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/sustainable-change) - [Conflict Resolution (16)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/conflict-resolution-2) - [Employee Engagement (14)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/employee-engagement) - [Overland Resource Group (13)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/overland-resource-group) - [Breakthrough (5)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/breakthrough) - [7 Levers of Sustainable Performance (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/7-levers-of-sustainable-performance) - [Coaching (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/coaching) - [Productivity (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/productivity) - [Company Culture (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/company-culture) - [Intractable Conflict (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/intractable-conflict) - [Organizational Transformation (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/topic/organizational-transformation) see all ### Blog Archive - [April 2019 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2019/04) - [March 2019 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2019/03) - [February 2019 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2019/02) - [January 2019 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2019/01) - [December 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/12) - [November 2018 (3)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/11) - [September 2018 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/09) - [August 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/08) - [May 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/05) - [March 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/03) - [February 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/02) - [January 2018 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2018/01) - [December 2017 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/12) - [November 2017 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/11) - [October 2017 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/10) - [July 2017 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/07) - [June 2017 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/06) - [May 2017 (3)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/05) - [April 2017 (3)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/04) - [March 2017 (3)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2017/03) - [April 2016 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2016/04) - [March 2016 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2016/03) - [February 2016 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2016/02) - [October 2015 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2015/10) - [June 2015 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2015/06) - [May 2015 (5)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2015/05) - [December 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/12) - [October 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/10) - [August 2014 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/08) - [June 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/06) - [May 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/05) - [April 2014 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/04) - [March 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/03) - [February 2014 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2014/02) - [November 2013 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/11) - [October 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/10) - [September 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/09) - [August 2013 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/08) - [July 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/07) - [May 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/05) - [April 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/04) - [January 2013 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2013/01) - [December 2012 (4)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/12) - [November 2012 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/11) - [August 2012 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/08) - [July 2012 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/07) - [June 2012 (2)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/06) - [February 2012 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2012/02) - [December 2011 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2011/12) - [August 2011 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2011/08) - [July 2011 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2011/07) - [June 2011 (1)](https://www.orginc.com/blog/archive/2011/06) see all ### Overland Resource Group PO Box 23592 Overland Park, KS 66283 [913-829-1241](tel:+9138291241) 866-691-0770 ### From Our Blog ### Let's Connect ### Subscribe to Newsletter © 2026 Overland Resource Group, INC. [Privacy Policy](https://www.orginc.com/privacy-policy) Website By[Tank New Media](https://www.tanknewmedia.com) ![](https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=164868&fmt=gif)