LANSING—Michigan’s unions spent 18 months fighting Republican obstruction to get nine pro-worker bills to the governor’s desk, only to have Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer veto every single one of them.
Her vetoes were a gut punch to the broad coalition of union and pro-labor organizations that had spent months lobbying for the legislation, which they viewed as a long-overdue lifeline for union members and retirees who continue to struggle with rising costs and stagnant benefits.
The bills’ path to the governor’s desk was anything but smooth. Michigan House Republicans, led by Speaker Hall, refused to transmit the approved bills to the Governor’s office, which the unions called a desperate and reactionary attempt to obstruct social justice policy for Michigan workers. His political gambit triggered an 18-month legal battle, culminating in a long-awaited decision by the Michigan Supreme Court, which workers and their supporters saw as the final hurdle to victory.
Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks captured the frustration of labor allies at the time, stating prior to the veto: “The Supreme Court is reminding everyone who plays a role in our democracy that they are not above the law, and the Michigan Constitution must be followed.”
Yet, despite the eventual judicial green light, Governor Whitmer rejected all nine bills. Her official rationale hinged on a bureaucratic technicality: the timing of the bills’ delivery. Whitmer argued that because the bills were presented to her so late, an effective date of April 2, 2025—more than 15 months earlier—would be required. Citing the Michigan Constitution (Article IV, Section 27), she claimed that “implementing these bills retroactively would impose an insurmountable administrative burden on the state and all Michiganders affected.”
However, her excuses were met with bitter derision by the labor coalition that helped put her in office. The Michigan AFL-CIO, along with the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Michigan Education Association (MEA), issued a joint statement in response.
“This veto is an insult to every hard-working Michigander fighting for economic justice,” the statement read. “We condemn her betrayal of Michigan workers, and call on political leaders who value our state’s working families to do the same.”
The backlash was not confined to unions, either. Prominent members of her own party voiced sharp condemnation. Michigan Democratic House Leader Puri stated, “Under current leadership, we have seen a consistent effort to make lives harder for working families by blocking efforts to lower costs and standing in the way of accessible healthcare.”
State Representative Will Snyder, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored one of the bills, said Whitmer “has decided to side with the House Republicans.”
For many, Whitmer’s veto is not an isolated misstep but the logical continuation of a political trajectory defined by capitulation to reactionary capitalist interests, even as it alienates her core base. Her actions—and her subsequent excuses—are part of a broader narrative of cozying up to corporate power, often in concert with the Trump administration’s agenda.
People’s World previously reported on Whitmer’s enthusiastic support for a massive data center project in Salina’s Township. In a public ceremony at “The Barn,” Whitmer stood side-by-side with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and a known Trump supporter. This support came despite the fact that Saline Township voted down the proposal.
Whitmer has also been notably absent during one of Michigan’s longest active unfair labor practice (ULP) strikes, involving Teamsters Local 332 nurses against Henry Ford Health. Her silence on this issue spoke volumes to workers on the picket line who felt abandoned by the governor to politically intervene.
Furthermore, on June 15, Whitmer deployed Michigan’s National Guard to Washington, D.C., becoming one of the Democratic governors who joined with the Republicans to meet Trump’s demand for troops in D.C.
While she insisted the troops were solely for the “America 250 Mission” and not for Trump’s “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission,” reports from NPR indicate that the troops are being utilized outside of her stated parameters. Notably, Whitmer has not recalled any troops from D.C. despite the conclusion of the July 4th festivities, and the Trump administration has explicitly counted Michigan troops as part of its own task force.
For working-class Michiganders, this pattern is tragically familiar. It is the continuation of a national trend among corporate Democrats who seem to have an endless supply of reasons why progressive policy—even when their party holds a trifecta—is impossible to implement.
Their excuses often ignore the material interests that truly influence their policy: the demands of big business, the pressure of the donor class, and the strategic calculation to satisfy the wealthy while offering rhetorical scraps to the working class.
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