LANSING - Hoping not to lose the smidgen of influence that they have in state government, building trades union reps in Michigan will continue to work behind the scenes with legislators to make sure the agenda of workers is heard in an anti-worker atmosphere.

Building trades delegates from across the state heard that message and a number of others at the 43rd annual Michigan Building Trades Legislative Conference held Feb. 20-21.

The trades and the rest of organized labor were successful in getting members out to vote last November, which helped get Debbie Stabenow elected to the U.S. Senate and helped Al Gore win in Michigan. But - support of the Democrats at the top of the ticket didn't filter down into progress in Lansing, where the Michigan House and Senate still remain in Republican control.

"You went through the last legislative session with remarkable success in how you protect your members," Michigan Senate Minority Leader John Cherry (D-Clio) told delegates. "You did it by educating your members, and by educating legislators."

Organized labor had hoped overturn the 58-52 Republican majority in the Michigan House last Nov. 7 and gain some influence in the state capital, but there was no change in that margin after the election.

But the building trades have been very active in reaching out and influencing Republicans in five to seven "swing" districts that have a heavy concentration of Democratic voters, and have successfully fought off attempts to weaken or repeal prevailing wage and get a few other victories.

Michigan Building Trades Council Secretary-Treasurer Tom Boensch said thanks to some help from friendly legislators on both sides of the aisle, state Republicans "so far haven't been too antagonistic towards us."

"A couple of years ago there was an air of certainty that prevailing wage would be overturned in Michigan," he said. "But we protected prevailing wage, and we even helped increase the funding for MIOSHA inspectors."

As usual in politics, the most important race is the next one. In 2002 in Michigan, up for election will be one U.S. Senate seat, 15 members of Congress, Michigan governor, attorney general, secretary of state, Michigan House seats and a host of county, city and township positions.

"Now more than ever we have our work cut out for us to implement a plan and educate our members," Boensch said. "We need a unified approach and a plan that reaches across the State of Michigan."

Michigan AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Tina Abbott reminded delegates that with labor issues big or small, "an injury to one is an injury to all."

"The entire labor movement supported prevailing wage because it was the right thing to do," she said. "Now Republicans are trying to outlaw the living wage in local communities in Michigan. It may not be one of your issues, but it is an important issue."

Organized labor won't have a chance at stopping Republican attacks unless Democrats restore some balance in Lansing, said Attorney General Jennifer Granholm.

"Let me tell you that the onslaught against organized labor here in Lansing will continue with the present leadership," said state Attorney General Jennifer Granholm. "The representation we're seeing amounts to death by 1,000 cuts. They're cutting away at prevailing wage, collective bargaining, and the efforts continue to make Michigan a right-to-work state.

"There are little ways an attorney general can help you out, but the only way you're going to see any change is to restore the balance of power in Michigan."

"YOUR AGENDA is my agenda," Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm told Michigan Building Trades Council delegates.