LANSING – A new, potentially significant development adds to speculation that a legislative effort to pass a right-to-work bill could take place, as the Michigan Chamber of Commerce announced late Monday that it now supported passage of a bill.

Prior to the announcement, the chamber had taken a largely hands-off attitude on backing right-to-work, with officials saying they wanted Governor Rick Snyder to lead on the issue. The chamber’s board of directors met last week, among speculation they would support the proposal, but nothing came from the meeting indicating a change in position.

In a statement, the chamber said enacting such a bill could help Michigan’s overall competitiveness.

A spokesperson for Snyder could not be reached for comment.

The announcement also came as sources said lawmakers have been looking for a potential vehicle bill that could be employed for a right-to-work measure, thus avoiding the constitutional requirement for a 10-day total layover on legislation between the two houses.

Meanwhile, labor officials were hopeful – at least before the chamber announcement was made – that some of the steam had gone out of the push. One official said on background that labor leaders knew they would likely have to give up on some major points they had protected for years.

Still unknown, at this point, is what Mr. Snyder may do with the issue. Leading up Monday, and before the chamber announcement, sources within the administration had said it still was unclear what Snyder might endorse. Even top staff did not know which way Snyder was leaning on the issue.

Some sources indicated he might try to talk business executives down from whole-heatedly endorsing the concept, largely in hopes of getting some concessions.

A labor official, speaking on background, said after the meeting Snyder had with UAW President Bob King last week, they felt much of the steam had gone out of the drive.

But they also knew “we are going to get scarred,” the official said. To avoid Michigan becoming the 24th state to adopt a right-to-work law, labor leaders were grimly getting ready to accept concessions.

What those concession may be, though, they still did not know. The one leader said they expected Snyder’s office to tell them what the tradeoff would be.

There has been sharp focus on Tuesday, however, to see if a new bill authorizing the right-to-work would be introduced. Because of the Constitution’s requirement that a bill sit five days in each chamber, and with lawmakers looking to finish the 96th Legislature before the Christmas holiday, which makes Tuesday the operative day to introduce legislation.

However, sources said lawmakers are trying to avoid the five-day requirement by searching out a vehicle bill, a measure already passed one house that could suffice.

If the Legislature were to attempt a right-to-work bill that deals just with public workers, as has been suggested by Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe), then a vehicle bill is on the Senate floor, HB 4003 . That measure changes the definition of a public worker.

If however, the desire for a right-to-work bill is more encompassing to include workers at private companies, it is less certain if a vehicle bill exists.

Ari Adler, spokesperson for House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall), said no decisions had been made on right-to-work, so he had no comment on whether a vehicle bill would be used.

And that largely is where the issue stood until just after 5 p.m., Monday, when the Michigan Chamber issued its statement calling for approval of “freedom to work” measure.

Rich Studley, president of the chamber, said 85 percent of its members supported the proposal and it was time for “bold and decisive leadership” to pass a measure affecting both private and public workers.

In an interview, Studley said the measure would be “good public policy” that “would improve the economic competitiveness in Michigan.”

The executive office and legislative leaders had gotten a heads-up from the chamber that it would endorse the concept, Studley said, but he did not know if Mr. Snyder’s office or the leadership would use the announcement as an incentive to move a bill.

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