Two Michigan union bosses have pledged “retribution” to member of the state legislature for enacting a Right to Work law.
Al Garrett, boss of the Michigan-based American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 25, vowed to get “retribution” for his members during a secretly recorded Dec. 12 telephone town hall meeting.
A copy of the recording was obtained by The Detroit News.
“There’s going to be a legal challenge. But in addition to that, there’s going to be some retribution,” Garrett told members listening to the call. “We’re going to be doing some recalls as soon as we can and then in addition to that we’re going to talk about putting an initiative or referendum on the ballot.”
Larry Roehrig , Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Council 25, also was on the call and said he agreed with Garrett’s strategy. Earlier that day, though, Roehrig told a Detroit News reporter he was unsure whether expensive recall campaigns against Republican lawmakers is a wise move with all 110 House seats and 38 Senate seats up for grabs in 2014.
“We’re only 18 months away from the real thing,” Roehrig said. “All you’re doing is shoving people’s face in the dirt.” Asked last week about his conflicting right-to-work political responses, Roehrig said he’s now more inclined to wage recall battles in 2013 to keep the public’s mind focused on the new law. “Maybe you need to have these kinds of skirmishes, battles and wars to reinvigorate the (labor) movement,” Roehrig told Insider.