Michigan Clergy Oppose "Right to Work" Legislation

DETROIT--- Today, leading Christian and Jewish clergy from Michigan spoke out against attacks on hard-working Michiganders and reaffirmed long-standing religious commitments to working people. At a press conference at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Detroit, the diverse clergy representing thousands of people in the faith community, opposed legislation introduced in the state legislature last week (SB 729) that would impose so-called "right to work" restrictions on Michigan's teachers and school employees.
"Michigan does not need a 'right to work' law," said Rev. Wendell Anthony, Pastor ofFellowship Chapel and President of the Detroit Chapter of the NAACP. "Michigan needs to respect the rights of workers with the law in providing jobs, health care and dignity... The fight over collective bargaining and labor's right represent people is one that need not be waged."

The faith leaders called on state legislators to reject "right to work" legislation and work together with unions and business to rebuild our economy and put people back to work -- not wreck middle-class jobs that support Michigan families.

"We've come to stand against the 'right to work' legislation and as faith leaders we are coming out to say this is a moral and religious issue," said Bishop John T. Pitts, Jr. of Temple of Praise International Church and Detroit Interfaith Worker Justice, who moderated the press conference. "We have come from all different faiths in unity today to denounce the attack on the people of Michigan."

Clergy spoke to the sacrifices Michigan workers and families have already made and the need to preserve fundamental rights.

"We cannot take away hard-fought gains for working people to have a voice in determining their financial future, their health care, their work safety, and the very future of their children," said Rabbi Dorit Edut of Detroit. "We should not be tampering with contracts and agreements in ways that destroy the morale of our workers or even creates more unemployment when already these people have agreed to widespread pay and benefit cutbacks just to keep their jobs and our economy going."

"Workers have a right to organize, have a right for a fair and just wage, have a right to good working conditions, and our tradition says that" said Father Norman Thomas of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Detroit. "Our tradition favors the organization of workers which we call labor unions."

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