Advocacy News – Oct. 13, 2023
Last week the Chamber-led Great Lakes Growth Coalition voiced frustration as some legislators participated in a rally on the steps of the State Capitol and made a joke of the economic problems facing Michigan small businesses and workers.
Why it matters: As the Michigan Legislature considers unleashing more than 1,800 local governments to create their own unique sets of workplace labor rules and regulations, supporters of the proposal played video games and donned Star Wars costumes on the capitol steps in an attempt to support the troubled proposal (which proponents refer to as the “Death Star” legislation)— making a joke out of the very serious issues facing small businesses and employees should the legislation pass.
“It’s sadly appropriate that a video game from 1983 was used in the effort to resurrect a risky labor policy from the distant past, which was previously eliminated to make Michigan an economically competitive state and put decision making power in the hands of small businesses who know what they can afford. We have to take a serious approach if Michigan is to grow its economy and population,” said Wendy Block, senior vice president of business advocacy for the Michigan Chamber. “Supporters of the plan to allow an insane 1,800 different sets of workplace rules across our state are playing games with the economic future of our small businesses and their employees, as if Michigan’s economic future is a big joke.”
Nearly three dozen organizations across Michigan have banded together to oppose this legislation (House Bill 4237 and Senate Bill 171), which could make some areas of our states “high-cost islands,” limiting community access to jobs and necessities, reducing incentives to invest and, ultimately, discouraging population and economic growth in our state.
The coalition continues to point out that that some legislators and special interest groups want Michiganders to believe they that can’t be pro-business and pro-worker. We disagree that it’s an either/or choice; when business wins, families win and communities win.
Go deeper: Join or learn more about the MI Great Lakes Growth coalition here. Follow the coalition on Facebook and Twitter.