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Michigan Supreme Court Takes Civil Service Right To Work Case

The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the right-to-work law applies to 34,000  state civil service workers.

The Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta explains.

The court ordered the state and public employee unions to file briefs in anticipation of oral arguments later this year. The unions are appealing a lower court decision from last summer. It said the right-to-work law does apply to state civil service workers. The law says workers do not have to pay union dues or fees to hold a job, although the union is still obligated to represent them.

State employee unions say the law is trumped by the Michigan Constitution – specifically, the provision that says the Michigan Civil Service Commission sets the work rules for state employees. The court will also hear a union challenge to the state law that requires civil service workers to contribute more of their paychecks toward their pensions, or have their retirement benefits reduced.

Rick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He has been covering Michigan’s Capitol, government, and politics since 1987. His journalism background includes stints with UPI, The Elizabeth (NJ) Daily Journal, The (Pontiac, MI) Oakland Press, and WJR. He is also a lifelong public radio listener.
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