Educators. Workers. Students. Families. Retirees.
We are the Middle Class.
We ARE the People.

STAND TOGETHER IN PROTEST

Wednesday, March 16
Noon to 6 p.m. – at least
State Capitol in Lansing

Come to the Capitol in Lansing this Wednesday. The protests will last all afternoon, with programs at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

If you can get to Lansing during the day (using a personal day or vacation day), carpool to our Capitol Building and be on the sidewalk by noon. Wear “Red for Public Ed.” Bring signs supporting public education and the Middle Class – and calling for an end to the attacks on both!

If you can’t be there by noon, please carpool to the Capitol right after school is out. Take a full car of teachers, ESP members, retirees, friends and family. The goal is to pack the Capitol area in time for evening news broadcasts. It’s time for our message to be heard – We ARE the People!

Bring as many people as you can – or just bring yourself. Come to Lansing on Wednesday and make your voice heard for your students, your profession and the Middle Class!

Wednesday’s protest is being organized by Working Michigan, a coalition of labor and progressive organizations fighting to protect Michigan's Middle Class. MEA is proud to be a part of that coalition, along with our brothers and sisters from AFL-CIO, AFT, UAW, SEIU and countless other unions and statewide organizations who are all dedicated to ending the partisan political attacks on the families and communities of this state.

We ARE the People! We ARE the Middle Class! We ARE Michigan!

Please read this and be imformed on what's in the bills that our Congress and Senate are about to pass. There's a rally tomorrow 12-6 at the State Capital of the worker people to try and stop this.

Some additional information on the bill:

Although much of the controversy here in Michigan (and Wisconsin, and Ohio …) has centered on “collective bargaining” rights for public employees — there are other critical issues that are part of this bill that effect everyone. We wish to stress that this is a people's issue and has nothing to do with partisan beliefs and encourage anyone who believes in the Constitution and Bill of Rights to please take a moment and read more about the bill.

The governor of Michigan is trying to force through the legislature a bill that would establish emergency rule, literally. Gov. Snyder is seeking emergency powers that would enable him to:
1) unilaterally declare a "financial emergency"
2) disincorporate entire municipal governments (voiding your vote)
3) dismiss elected officials with no replacement election to follow,
4) seize control of local civil services,
5) hand taxpayer money, services and power to private, for-profit firms.
Whether you’re in a union (or not), or support the idea of unions (or not) — understand that these seemingly disconnected events are all really parts of a well-coordinated, well-funded effort to drive down wages and benefits for ALL workers — and all to benefit just a handful of the world’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. Even if you have never been in a union, or if you’re ambivalent about the role of unions — this is an assault on collective bargaining rights for public employees is just the first step in a multifaceted war on the wages, benefits, safety, and job security of everyone who works for a living.
Here in Michigan, the plan to cut off state funding that cities need to provide essential services — while simultaneously dangling the (very real) threat of appointing “Emergency Financial Managers” over those communities who refuse to bust unions, renege on promised pension benefits, and/or outsource services to low-bid private contractors, is just the first “domino.”

His plan declares an immediate end (with no projected restoration) to the founding principle of our democracy: that public officials may govern ONLY at the consent of the governed.
There is no moral, philosophical, legal or practical justification for Gov. Snyder's claim that a "budget emergency" gives him the right or the power to order the suspension of electoral democracy in his state. Those who support his agenda will argue that this is not what they intend, that they are merely trying to be "expedient". This was the argument of Italy's and Germany's fascists.
The process which allows the people to govern their government is absolutely sacrosanct in our democracy. There is no way for us to be the free society we claim to be, if that process does not remain sacrosanct. The budgetary discomfort and long, difficult days of work that some public officials might face given budgetary discomfort, are absolutely not a justification for eliminating the democratic process or establishing unilateral executive rule.

Rally in Madison - Saturday, March 12, 2011

The House passed HB 4152 today - this will freeze teacher's salaries and benefits during contract negotiations. It passed 63-47, straight party-line vote.

Dispite protests this week at the Capitol - some with more than 1,000 protesters - the Senate passed a six-bill package that gives an Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) the power to renegotiate union contracts.

The bills are aimed at making it easier to intervene sooner in failing municipalities and school districts.

The ammendment that recieved the most attention would have limited the salary of the EFM to no more than what the Governor makes under the State Officers Compensation Committee guidelines, $177,000. This ammendment passed in the House and failed in the Senate. One reason given for the failure - a cap on salary would "limit talent".

Rachel Maddow clip on Michigan's EFM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/41999505#41999505

Support staff jobs and Health Insurance also under attack

The Senate is considering Senate Bill 1074, which would require competitive bids for custodial and food services, and Senate Bill 1046, which would require public employees to pay 20 percent of the cost of their health plan. The Senate could yet vote on these bills this week, so please contact your senator now to urge a NO vote on these proposals!