LANSING - The effort to institute a right-to-work (RTW) law in Michigan is heating up.

With legislation that would make Michigan a right-to-work state completely bottled up in the Democratic-led Michigan House, it has been widely expected that advocates of the anti-union law would attempt a petition drive to put RTW on a statewide ballot. That now appears unlikely to happen in 2008.

But what did happen this month is the mailing of a letter and a "personal opinion survey" by state Rep. Jacob Hoogendyk (R-Kalamazoo County) to Michigan businesses. We're assuming thousands of copies were sent out. (One of our suppliers received the letter and provided us with a copy).

"You see, what Michigan's economy needs more than anything else is to pass a Right to Work law that would end forced unionism in the Wolverine State," Hoogendyk wrote in the letter. He added that he hopes to "work with Right-to-Work allies to: "Rollback union boss power grabs in the Michigan state legislature;" and "Guarantee freedom from union violence and compulsion for every Michigan worker," as well as "provide the jobs, economic growth and tax relief that Right to Work will help bring about."

He also wrote in the letter, "We can do it - you and I, and all freedom-loving Michigan citizens." Hoogendyk's letter was sent six weeks after the Michigan Republican Party voted to throw their support behind making Michigan a right-to-work state. Hoogendyk is also expected to be the Republican challenger to Carl Levin for his U.S. Senate seat, and use his candidacy as a soapbox for right to work in Michigan.

Other Republican candidates in Michigan are also expected to push right-to-work this year, in order to put the issue before the public. "They investigated getting right-to-work on the Michigan ballot in '08, and that didn't happen," said Michigan AFL-CIO President Mark Gaffney. "Now I think their strategy is, 'let's make this an election issue. Let's get people talking about it.' "

Patrick Devlin, CEO of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council, said Hoogendyk's arguments are based on appealing to "the lowest common denominator among Michigan businesses: fear."

Devlin added: " 'Union boss power grabs?' I guess I'm one of those union 'bosses,' but some of the things we've been focusing on with state government are being better partners with MIOSHA to improve worker safety, making sure the state prevailing wage is being followed, and working to improve the jobs climate in the state by repealing Public Act 141, which should open the door to billions of dollars in utility construction.

"And he wants to 'guarantee freedom from union violence and compulsion for every Michigan worker?' What union violence? And what compulsion? Michigan's workers freely join unions because they want to give themselves some protection against this kind of nutcase mentality."

There are currently 22 right-to-work states in the U.S. Oklahoma was the most recent state to adopt a RTW law, in 2001, and it was the first state to adopt the anti-union measure since 1985. Nearly every other state that adopted right-to-work laws did so in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

Under right-to-work laws, workers in a union shop can choose not to pay union dues - yet they still enjoy the benefits of union membership. Such a two-tiered set-up usually guts the clout of unions and eventually leads to their demise.

According to the AFL-CIO, the average worker in a right-to-work state makes about $5,333 a year less than workers in other states ($35,500 compared with $30,167). Weekly wages are $72 greater in free-bargaining states than in right to work states ($621 versus $549).

Hoogendyk's correspondence asked that checks be sent to the "Michigan Right to Work Committee." He said the money will be used "to mobilize up to 100,000 Michigan citizens" to "challenge the union lobbyists' money and power." Their effort will also including making their case with editors of newspapers around the state, and devoting "major resources" to lobbying.

"Right to work is going to rear its ugly head in the 2008 election, and we'll be ready," Gaffney said. "Organized labor in Michigan is going to fight it and win it this year, and we're going to fight it and win it in years to come."