Violence at the Michigan union protests: The fallout for Big Labor
Unions suffered a loss when Michigan became the 24th state to adopt "right-to-work" laws. Are pro-union protesters making matters worse?
![Michigan State Police push back protesters blocking a street during a rally at the Michigan State Capitol on Dec. 11.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iuCfXhWbUxWvPah3viCyQj-415-80.jpg)
"The labor protests in Michigan took an ugly turn" this week, says Aliyah Frumin at MSNBC. A burly union protester punched Fox News contributor Steven Crowder in the face. Demonstrators brought down a tent set up for members of Americans for Prosperity, an anti-union group backed by libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch. Tensions were high, as Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) had just delivered Big Labor a loss by signing bills making his state the 24th to adopt "right-to-work" laws prohibiting unions from compelling workers to become members and pay dues. Video of the incidents went viral, prompting cries from the Right of union thuggery. Will these incidents make this setback even worse for organized labor? Take a look:
This video says it all, says John Hinderaker at Power Line. Unions have devolved into little more than a "criminal conspiracy" to force workers to "pay involuntary tribute" to Big Labor and their Democratic allies. These guys are goons. And they've got supporters in high places: One Michigan Democrat said "there will be blood" over the new laws. That's hardly ambiguous. If the law won't let unions force people to join and pay dues against their will, it looks like they're willing to use their fists, says Allahpundit at Hot Air. "Given their tactics, who'd dare take a job working alongside these cretins while refusing to unionize?"
"Good, serious progressives are supposed to condemn violence as a political tactic, because it's wrong and in many cases counterproductive," says Max Read at Gawker. "But do we really need to condemn the union protester who socked Fox News comedian Steven Crowder in the jaw?" Crowder went to the protest looking for a fight, inserting himself into "the middle of an argument between billionaire-funded, know-nothing ideologues and people whose livelihoods and stability are being threatened by the insatiable greed of the super-rich and the blind extremism of their wooden-headed political allies." He was aiming to confirm Team Conservative's "stereotypes of violent union 'thugs,'" and he got what he wanted.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Conservatives insist these incidents look as bad for the media as they do for unions, says Erik Wemple at The Washington Post. The argument is that major news outlets are ignoring union thuggery but would have gone nuts if a Tea Partier had punched a liberal on video. "Violence at a pivotal union protest indeed merits strong national coverage," it's true. But it's Crowder's "buffoonish" actions since the scuffle that are something for networks to ignore. He said on Twitter the antics were "fun" and "challenged his assailant to a mixed martial arts (MMA) fight. And he has generally sounded as if he's enjoying this boost to his career prospects." Given the way he's carrying on, "I, too, may well pass on the story of his beating, were I a network executive producer."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.
-
Magazine solutions - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
Magazine printables - August 2, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - August 2, 2024
By The Week Staff Published
-
'In a normal country, their activities wouldn't even be crimes'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court rejects challenge to CFPB
Speed Read The court rejected a conservative-backed challenge to the way the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is funded
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published