The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that Michigan’s right-to-work laws, which prohibit requiring employees to join a union or pay a union fee, also apply to state employees.
The court ruled in a 4-to-3 decision.
The high court also ruled the state law requiring state employees to contribute four percent toward their retirement is also constitutional.
The rulings are a defeat for labor unions in Michigan which represent about 36,000 state employees.
They had argued only the Michigan Civil Service Commission can set conditions of employment for civil servants, not the legislature.