REVERBERATIONS FOR SEIU CONTINUE REGARDING MICHIGAN DECISION TO STOP FORCED UNIONIZATION OF HOME HEALTH CARE WORKERS

As we earlier reported, in 2012, Michigan’s Governor Snyder reversed his predecessor Jennifer Granholm’s stance that home health care workers were to be deemed public employees and thus members of SEIU Healthcare Michigan by signing legislation excluding them from the definition of public employees under state law.  The position of Governor Granholm’s administration on this issue was highly criticized with many suggesting it smacked of political re-payment. Now the numbers are in and they demonstrate just how much SEIU Healthcare benefited under the former policy.  Since the change in the law, SEIU Healthcare Michigan has reported the loss of more than 44,000 home-based healthcare “members” and the $30 per month dues deductions have stopped.  By one estimate, SEIU Healthcare Michigan reaped nearly $35 million in dues collected directly from care recipients’ Medicare or Medicaid checks under the practice permitted by the Granholm administration. In the wake of the reversal of that practice, former SEIU Healthcare Michigan members are speaking out and some are suing to get their money back.  An article published this week by Fox News shares some of their stories.