By Steve Gunn
EAGnews.org

LANSING, Mich. –  On the surface, Michigan’s Proposal 2 was an effort to enshrine union collective bargaining privileges in the state constitution.

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But some people on both sides of the issue saw it as an early referendum on the idea of making Michigan a “Right to Work” state.

If the final tally was any indication, Michigan might be fertile ground for a Right to Work ballot initiative. Proposition 1 was defeated with 58 percent of the vote, signaling public dissatisfaction with the greedy union agenda.

Either way, state Rep. Mike Shirkey said he’s making it his mission to turn Michigan into the next Right to Work state, and he intends to introduce a bill to do so … once he gets Gov. Rick Snyder on board, BridgeMI.com reports.

“My top priority is to make Michigan the next labor freedom state,” Shirkey told Bridge Wednesday. Right-to-work rules prohibit union membership as a condition of employment, making union dues optional.

Shirkey said he will introduce Right-to-work legislation “when I know for certain that I have the support of the governor.”

Snyder, meanwhile, maintains that Right-to-Work isn’t on his agenda, but wouldn’t say Wednesday whether he would veto efforts to make it law, Bridge reports.

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Michigan Chamber of Commerce President Rich Studley told the Detroit News that Tuesday’s results on Proposal 2 – 58 percent against, 42 percent in favor – represent a statewide referendum on Right-to-Work. He said Big Labor, led by United Auto Workers President Bob King, needs to face the facts.

“Bob King got his wish – there was a referendum on Right-to-Work, and he lost – not by a narrow majority, but by really an overwhelming substantial margin,” Studley said. “People shouldn’t be surprised when actions have consequences.”

It seems like Michigan’s labor unions are already gearing up for a fight. Progress Michigan, a non-profit that works to “challenge conservative propaganda in the media,” released a poll this week claiming that 70 percent of voters support collective bargaining, according to media reports.

Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger’s spokesman, Ari Alder, told Bridge that his boss iced right-to-work legislation at Snyder’s request earlier this year, but the defeat of Proposal 2 obviously means the issue is back on the table.

“The unions have opened the door to having this debate and the Speaker is happy to walk through it,” Alder said.