Michigan Republicans end part of union tradition

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — For generations, Michigan was the ultimate labor stronghold — a state built by factory workers for whom a high school diploma and a union card were the ticket to a middle-class life.

But it took only hours for Republicans to tear down a key part of that tradition, the requirement that all employees in a union workplace pay dues.

The swift action was the result of a decisive governor acting like a CEO and teaming with a supermajority of GOP allies in the statehouse to win a prize long sought by conservatives. It also provided a window into how state governments might work in an era when they are increasingly run by a single party.

Gov. Rick Snyder dropped his longstanding opposition to dealing with the contentious right-to-work issue Thursday.

Tags: right to work, news, updates, national, michigan