LANSING - The lame-duck legislative session - the period after the Nov. 5 general election and before the swearing-in of new lawmakers on Jan. 1 - came in like a whimper through last week. But whether it will go out with a bang remains to be seen.

"Not a lot has happened so far," said Michigan AFL-CIO Legislative Director Tim Hughes. "But we'll see what happens. They'll do what they think they can get away with."

"They" are state Republicans, who will keep control of the state House and Senate for the next two years, but will lose control of the state governorship on Jan. 1, as Democrat Jennifer Granholm prepares to take office.

There are a number of anti-labor items on the legislative docket, including introducing a waiting week before unemployed workers can start receiving jobless benefits, and the reorganization of the Board of Directors and possible privatization of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Legislation has also called for banning living wage laws passed by local communities, banning construction project labor agreements with municipalities, and re-drawing district lines to make it easier for Republicans to win state university board of trusteeships.

The legislative session is scheduled to end Dec. 13, but that could be extended.

"There's a lot of stuff out there, and it's mostly bad," Hughes said. "We'll see. The problem with lame duck sessions is legislators vote for things that they normally wouldn't vote for."