Feb 19, 2011

Michigan residents taking to the streets to protect worker’s rights


Wisconsin residents are taking to the streets to fight their governor’s attempt to bust public sector unions, and Michigan residents will do the same next week.

Republicans in Michigan are trying the same thing, but they are much sneakier about it. Last week they voted anti-democratic and union busting House Bills 4214-4218 out of committee that will repeal Public Act 72, the current law governing emergency financial managers (EFM). The bills give them more power that includes disenfranchising the voters and terminate contracts negotiated with labor unions in good faith.

On Tuesday Feb. 22 at 9 a.m. a citizen’s rally is being held in downtown Lansing to protest the union busting. They will gather at Central United Methodist Church, 215 N. Capitol, at the Corner of Ottawa and Capitol, to march on the Capitol and send a message to their legislators. They expect more than 200 people to show up.

House Bills 4205-4206 that will repel Public Act 312 will be voted out of the Government Operations Committee at noon on Wednesday Feb. 23. Because police officers and firefighters are essential to public safety, they are not allowed to strike like other bargaining units can, so PA 312 gives them a tool in negotiating a contract. PA 312 is the foundation of collective bargaining rights for firefighters and police officers in Michigan, and since 1969 PA 312 has provided a fair and equitable process for contract disputes between firefighters and police officers and municipalities.

Some 300 members of the Michigan Professional Firefighters Association are expected to send some 300 members to voice their displeasure for this union-busting measure.

The Government Operations Committee meets at noon on Wednesday in room 327 of the House Office Building, 121 N. Capitol in Lansing.

Additionally, the Senate Education Committee will vote out the Senate version of the anti-democratic and union busting EFM bills, SBs 153-158. The Education Committee meets at 12:30 p.m. in room 100 of the Farnum Building, 125 W. Allegan St.

The meetings, like all committee meetings, are open to the public.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Kevin,
Why does the left portray the Tea Party as a bunch of Violent Racists. for the use of Hitler Mustache signs but it is OK when the left does it.
What happened to the civility after the Tuscon shootings?

The Madison signs from the left are filled with hatred and are racist.
What say you?

kevins said...

Odd that the rally is for 9 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. Shouldn't these people be at work? Are these all unemployed people, or are these people skipping out on their taxpayer-funded jobs?

brad said...

Maybe their doctors are writing fake sick notes like up in Wisconsin. They are teaching the kids great ideals.

kevins said...

"citizen's rally" my eye.

Yes, they were citizens in the sense that everyone is a citizen. But this was a union rally, not a grass roots event. People were bussed in by AFL-CIO. Nothing wrong with that, except that liberals scoffed at Tea Party when some who attended came by bus.

This was a union funded, organized event that really didn't draw that many. I hope that is a good sign. I hope it means that people couldn't attend because they have a paying job that took higher priority.

Communications guru said...

I didn’t think you could back it up, like always.

That is correct, brett, a citizens rally. You just need to look at the Facebook page; these were separate rallies. Even if that were not the case, I know Republicans may not think the working class are citizens, but it was a citizen’s rally.

Sorry, brett, I didn’t lie. The problem was only a few teabaggers showed up against hundreds of working men and women. Teabaggers do not like to confront people unless they do it anonymously, like you, or of the numbers are on their side.

kevins said...

Congrats, you agree that the union types won't show up unless they have enough numbers to "confront" taxpayering citizens.

How many busloads did the AFL-CIO bring to this rally?

I'm glad you agree it was a good thing that the media was there to prevent the union types from accosting the Tea Party protesters.


You are far more reasonable than you used to be. Keep it up.

Communications guru said...

As I said, the teabaggers were looking for a fight so they could film it and take the heat off of them, but once they saw they were up against men and as many as they were they turned tail. Like you, they only like face to face confrontations if they outnumber people or anonymously. They only try to provoke trouble when they outnumber them; like stomping on a defenseless woman. We agree on this.

“Union types” AKA tax-paying citizens and working men and women, show up when civil rights are being threatened, regardless of how many people are there. They stood up to the paid thugs, crooked police and the National Guard years ago, and they will again, if necessary.

I don’t know “how many busloads did the AFL-CIO brought to the rally,” but what I do know is they paid for them out their hard-earned wages and up front, not a couple of moneyed Washington, D.C. lobbying firms or the billionaire Koch brothers under the disguise of “grassroots.”

I'm glad you agree it was a good thing that the media was there to prevent the teabagger types from union types from accosting the tax-paying citizens and working men and women

kevins said...

Did you have some trouble with that last sentence, guru? It's a little unclear. Were you distracted when you typed it?

Thanks for agreeing with me. It's good to see that you recognize that you were wrong.

Communications guru said...

No. The only thing I agree with you is that you are a coward, just like the teabggers that backed down from trying to provoke a confrontation because they did not outnumber the citizens or it was a lone, defenseless woman they can stomp on.

I’m not always right, but you are never right.

brad said...

The "Union" of the taxpayers of the states of Michigan have spoken, you are trying to union bust against the citizens of your state. The citizens that are trying to keep their money against a small few trying to take more and more. Commie Guru, youre a RAT going against the will of the people, Elections have consequences.

Communications guru said...

Just too funny.

brad said...

thanks man, im glad you finally concur with something.

Communications guru said...

I concur that you make no sense and are ridiculous to the point of hilarity.