51% of Michigan's likely voters favor a right-to-work law

More than half of likely voters would support a right-to-work law in Michigan, according to a poll released on the eve of Labor Day weekend.

"Given Michigan's strong labor history, the results are somewhat surprising," said Kelly Rossman-McKinney, with poll producers The Rossman Group and Team TelCom.

The Grand Rapids Press commissioned the poll, and a study to be released Sunday, on how people feel about right to work laws and what impact they'd have on Michigan's job situation. The work was done as part of the Michigan 10.0 series (MLive.com/mi10), which has explored crucial issues facing Michigan. The series started in January and will run up to the gubernatorial election.

In the poll of 300 voters, conducted this week, 51 percent said they supported this question: Should Michigan pass a right-to-work law that means employees cannot be forced to join a labor union?

More than 27 percent opposed such a law, which would ban total-union shops and make union membership optional. In practice, it mandates open shops, where unions must represent both dues-payers and non-members in contract talks, grievances, and other traditional support roles.