Michigan Teachers Can Quit Union At Any Time, Court Says

SAGINAW, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - The Michigan appeals court says teachers and other school employees can quit a union at any time, not just one month a year.

In a 3-0 decision, the court says it's following Michigan's right-to-work law, which says workers can't be forced to support a union to keep their job.

The court says restricting union resignations to August clashes with the Legislature's goal of giving employees more choices.

The Michigan Education Association argued that the resignation rule was an internal union matter that should be beyond the reach of courts and the Michigan Employment Relations Commission.

The appeals court consolidated cases from Saginaw, Standish, Grand Blanc and Battle Creek. The decision by judges Brock Swartzle, Peter O'Connell and Jane Beckering was dated Tuesday but released Wednesday.

Supporters, including Gov. Rick Snyder, have insisted right-to-work will boost the economy, creating more and better jobs for Michiganders. In promoting the new law in 2013, Snyder said right-to-work "isn't about being anti-union," but is "about being pro-worker."

Opponents say right-to-work laws drain unions of money and weakens their ability to bargain for good wages and benefits.

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