[Waukesha, Wis.] — In case you missed it, Tim Michels’ company gave its employees the day off to protest the Walker/Kleefisch administration’s right to work reforms, fired an employee for refusing to pay union dues, and joined a coalition of companies opposed to Right to Work.
While Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch were fighting for worker freedom, Tim Michels’ company was fighting against their efforts and pushing forced unionization for workers.
“Despite protests from the union bosses, Rebecca Kleefisch proudly stood with Scott Walker and the Republican legislature in the fight to free workers from forced unionization. Republican voters have a choice: Do we want a governor like Rebecca who stands up to the liberal protesters — or Tim Michels who gave his employees time off to join the protests against conservative reform?” said Kleefisch’s campaign manager, Charles Nichols.
Read the full story here and check out excerpts below.
GOP candidate for governor Tim Michels says he supports Wisconsin’s right-to-work law despite his company’s past opposition
By Katelyn Ferral
July 1, 2022
Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels says he supports Wisconsin’s current ban on requiring non-unionized workers to pay dues to their workplace union, despite his company’s history opposing it.
Wisconsin enacted the ban, known as “right to work,” in 2015 under former Republican Gov. Scott Walker. The state’s law is similar to those passed in more than 20 states nationwide.
Michels Corp, the construction company Michels co-owns, was a part of the Wisconsin Contractor Coalition that opposed the right-to-work proposal.
The construction company’s employees were also a part of protests against the proposed right-to-work law at the time. At least one employee of the company was able to protest right-to-work legislation because Michels Corp. gave him time off, according to a 2015 article from The Daily Reporter, a construction industry newspaper.
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In 2015, a Colorado-based worker won a settlement from the Michels Corporation and a union after he was fired for declining to pay union dues.
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Michel’s chief competitor in the Republican gubernatorial primary on August 9, Rebecca Kleefisch, criticized Michels for allowing his employees to protest right-to-work.
“Despite protests from the union bosses, Rebecca Kleefisch proudly stood with Scott Walker and the Republican legislature in the fight to free workers from forced unionization,” Kleefisch’s campaign manager Charles Nichols said.
“Republican voters have a choice: Do we want a governor like Rebecca who stands up to the liberal protesters — or Tim Michels who gave his employees time off to join the protests against conservative reform?”
