New Great Lakes Growth Coalition Unites Michigan’s Job Creators, Detroit Regional Chamber a Founding Member

The Detroit Regional Chamber today announced its involvement in a new, long-term economic growth coalition called Great Lakes Growth (GLG). The Chamber is a founding member of the coalition, along with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Manufacturers Association, and the Grand Rapids Chamber.

Learn more about the coalition and its work in the announcement below.

As some in the Michigan Legislature rush to enact dangerous economic proposals meant to appeal to national and state political allies in advance of the 2024 elections, a new, long-term economic growth coalition called Great Lakes Growth (GLG) was announced today.

The alarming pace of anti-growth policy proposals now before the legislature brought key business leaders together under the GLG umbrella to create a unified and clear voice for Michigan’s job providers and workers to make Michigan a flourishing state with a growing economy and population.

The GLG Coalition is led by Michigan’s leading pro-growth business organizations and supported by countless additional groups, businesses, and individuals under four specific issue-based coalitions. GLG’s founding members include the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Manufacturers Association, Detroit Regional Chamber, and Grand Rapids Chamber.

GLG has identified four economic proposals that are so dangerous to Michigan’s economic growth potential that formal coalitions have been formed to stop them:

Limited Workplace Mandates

United Against Workplace Mandates Coalition

Michigan employers compete worldwide for talent and strive to provide leading edge, competitive benefits. The so-called family and medical paid leave program amount to a new $1 to $1.5 billion-plus annual payroll tax on every worker and business. This policy would create a massive new state bureaucracy, putting the government in charge of paid-time off (PTO claims) and hurting those it claims to help, especially small businesses and Michiganders living paycheck-to-paycheck. Learn more: United Against Benefit Mandates Coalition

Affordable Energy

Coalition for Clean, Affordable and Reliable Energy

A clean energy future is vitally important, but we must be realistic in how we get there, balancing clean energy goals with the need for safe, reliable, and affordable energy. Unrealistic mandates increase costs and risk power shortages hurting our small businesses, families and economy, reversing progress we’ve achieved in recent years. Learn more: Coalition for Clean, Affordable and Reliable Energy

Career Freedom 

Coalition for Career Freedom

Michigan residents are hard-working and determined. Workers should have the freedom provided by our evolving, modern gig economy to shape the careers and income that best helps them pursue their dreams. But the ability of workers to choose independent contractor work is threatened by pending legislation. Learn more: Coalition for Career Freedom

Local Economic Regulations

MI Employment Certainty Coalition

Employees and employers alike are looking for certainty. Yet pending legislation would create more uncertainty by unleashing Michigan’s 1,800 local units of government to enact their own laws governing workplaces across Michigan. Creating a complex web of regulations governing private employers’ relations with their employees will create confusion and a bureaucratic, red-tape nightmare for job providers -and employees. Learn more: MI Employment Certainty Coalition