GOP questions rush pre-RTW contracts

LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) - The big battle over right-to-work in Lansing took place three months ago, but with the impending implementation of the law comes a rush to get new contracts in place and renewed controversy.

Unions were more than unhappy when right-to-work passed in December, complaining of potential massive loss of members and consequently revenues for bargaining and political activity. Supporters lauded the chance for workers to have what they called "a choice."

The legislation will go into effect March 28, and many unions are trying to renew or extend their contracts -- some by as much as a decade -- before then.

Some Republican lawmakers are calling those rush contracts into question as a matter of avoiding legislative intent, while some Democrats say it's just part of the way the law was crafted.

"The legislation as written and passed would only take effect when an existing collective bargaining agreement expires," explained Rep. Brandon Dillon (D-Grand Rapids).

So whatever the impact of the law, positive or negative, it could be years before it is fully felt.

Dillion said it doesn't make sense to him that people question unions trying to beat the deadline.

"I find it ironic that the people complaining about these groups trying to extend their contracts or reopen their contracts before right-to-work are, in fact, the very same people who didn't have a problem running the legislation through without a public hearing or committee meeting," said Dillon.

Republican Rep. Tom McMillin of Rochester Hills, chair of the House's Oversight Committee, wants to talk to Taylor Public Schools and Wayne State University about what he sees as longer-than-normal proposed contract extensions.

"It's very unique. What are taxpayers getting for their 10-year or 8-year contract in the Wayne State instance? What are students getting? Is this just a 'That's what they wanted so we're going to give it to them?' That's not a very arms-length transaction," he said.

Rep. Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville) says if contracts are going to be extended for a longer than normal time, there should be a benefit to the taxpayer. If not, he says, such contracts should undergo legislative scrutiny.

"Just extending contracts to circumvent the law, I think that's when we're going to take a real hard look at it," said Pscholka.

But Rep. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) sees the window to agree to contracts before right-to-work goes into effect as an opportunity.

"This is actually an ideal time for management because they have a higher hand, I guess, to work with their employee groups. We've had a couple of groups that have come forward with substantial savings on health care," said Singh.

Union officials like Grand Rapids Education Association President Paul Helder warn of the consequences of some paying union dues and others not paying dues in the same shop, which they say could be disastrous.

"The freedom to freeload information that's out there right now is going to cause people within the same union to look at each other as host and parasite," Helder said.

The GRPS teachers' contract expired last August and there has been a suggestion that the union at least would like to have a deal before right-to-work kicks in.

No matter what the outcome of individual contracts before right-to-work takes place, the renewed focus on a controversial piece of legislation is serving to open fresh wounds in Lansing.