The big union fight in Michigan explained

[No Elephants]

By

Brian Montopoli
CBS News/ December 11, 2012, 6:08 AM
The big union fight in Michigan explained

Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to sign right-to-work legislation as early as today that will prevent employees in the state from having to pay dues to a union. Appearing at an event outside Detroit Monday, President Obama assailed the legislation as a political ploy designed to "take away your right to bargain for better wages"; he referred to the legislation as "right to work for less money."

Unions are outraged that right-to-work legislation has come to the state that is, to some degree, the symbolic heart of the labor movement; conservatives say that it will give more freedom to workers and create "more and better jobs in Michigan," in Snyder's words.

Right-to-work is complicated, starting with that carefully-crafted name - who, you might wonder, would oppose the right to work? Below, we explore the debate around right-to-work laws and what the current fight means for Michigan and the rest of the nation.

What is right-to-work?

It's the name that proponents have given to legislation that prevents agreements in which employees are required to pay union dues.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57558337/the-big-union-fight-in-michigan-explained/

Today, Morning Schmoe called offshoring a fad, saying manufacturing was coming back to the U.S. A guest on his show chided him, saying calling it a fad is a very dangerous thing to say. The guest added, manufacturing is coming back if wages go down enough.

[Enthusiast]

1. We must replace the entire Michigan legislature and governor.

And throw out this right to work law.

[No Elephants]

2. Replace them how?

And with whom?