( CNN ) -- On Tuesday , the state of Michigan , the birthplace of the UAW and the nation 's organized labor movement , became the country 's 24th right-to-work state . Michigan joins Indiana , which passed right-to-work legislation in February , to become the second right-to-work state in the heavily unionized Midwest . The legislation marks a monumental shift away from union power to `` open shop '' free labor . Right-to-work laws prohibit workers from being forced to contribute mandatory dues to labor unions in order to gain employment , regardless of whether or not they are members of a union , and prohibit employers from firing workers if they do n't join a union . With workers no longer obligated to pay union dues , union membership , revenue , and strength decline . Predictably , there was no shortage of outrage from union workers this week as they stormed the capital building in Lansing to protest . Teachers walked out of schools and Democratic state senators even walked out on the final vote to approve the initial bills . Union workers and their Democratic allies realize that the transition from a `` closed shop '' state to a right-to-work state is the second in near fatal blows to Michigan 's entrenched union interests . The first blow came this past November when unions spent tens of millions of dollars in Michigan pushing Proposal 2 , a ballot initiative that would have written collective bargaining into the state constitution and in essence outlawed a right-to-work law and limits on union power . Michigan voters defeated the proposal 58 % to 42 % . Proposal 2 was defeated because the unions had overreached their hand . Decades ago , unions were important to workers because America 's emerging labor markets were less predictable and less safe . But much of the American public now realizes that labor unions are no longer needed in the way they once were , and they do n't need to be enshrined in state constitutions . What 's the 'right-to-work ' battle all about ? What 's more , many unions have deviated from their original purpose and warped into powerful special interests rather than true representatives of workers ' rights . There is a growing public consensus , seen most recently in Wisconsin , Indiana and now Michigan , that non-right-to-work states can stifle private labor competition and give too much power , politically and financially , to the unions . What right-to-work states have found is that , if given the choice , some , or even many , workers will chose not to join the union . In other words , many workers themselves no longer see the need for mandatory dues and labor union representation . On Monday , President Obama pushed back and blasted right-to-work laws during a visit to Michigan . He said , `` These so called right to work laws , they do n't have to do with economics -- they have everything to do with politics . What they 're really doing is trying to talk about the right to work for less money . '' Video : 'Unions are the problem ' Despite the protests by the labor unions and their Democratic allies , it should be noted that Michigan 's legislation does not end collective bargaining nor does it increase pension contributions or health care benefit payments from union workers . And contrary to President Obama 's thinking , right-to-work laws are directly related to economics . Right-to-work laws give employers the freedom to hire non-union workers and negotiate contracts with more than one party . For this reason , right-to-work states are more attractive to private business than non-right-to-work , and could increase private-sector wages . For example , on CNBC 's annual list of the best states for business , nine of the top 10 states are right-to-work states . It 's no coincidence that foreign automobile manufacturers often build new plants in right-to-work states like Tennessee and Alabama , rather than Detroit -- the `` Motor City . '' Analysis : Why America 's unions are losing power . Perhaps Michigan 's new right-to-work status will unlock employers from burdensome union contracts and attract new private enterprise to Detroit , which is predicted to go bankrupt by the end of this year . After all , Gov . Scott Walker 's union reforms in neighboring Wisconsin helped eliminate the state 's budget shortfall . Twenty , 10 , or even five years ago , few people would have predicted that Michigan would become a right-to-work state . Adding Michigan to the expanding list of right-to-work states only hastens to a close the days of labor union monopolies over state governement and businesses . Could California , New York , or Illinois be next ? The question does n't seem so farfetched now . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of William J. Bennett .
On completion , Michigan became the country 's 24th right - to - work state . William Bennett : Powerful unions can stifle private sector competition . He says with workers no longer obligated to pay wages , union strength increases . Bennett : Michigan 's new status might attract new private enterprise to Detroit .