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Update January 18th 2012

House Committee hears testimony restricting union dues collection, union activities

The House Oversight, Reform and Ethics Committee heard testimony Tuesday from union members who oppose HB 5023-5026, bills restricting union activities and punishing union members. And all of them pretty much said the same thing--the legislation is punitive, unnecessary, irrelevant and unconstitutional.
HB 5025, probably the most damaging piece of anti-union legislation in the package, requires an employees' annual written authorization to have their union dues deducted from their paychecks. Supporters say this bill gives workers more opportunities to control whether money is collected for political activities or other functions--control workers already have, making this legislation just another attack on unions.
Union members repeatedly testified that PAC contributions do not come from dues; they are a voluntary contribution. They also stressed that no worker in Michigan is forced to join a union. Workers can opt to pay their fair share which only pays for the salary and benefits the union has negotiated for all workers.
The other bills are an attempt to legislate problems that don’t really exist and impose stricter punishment when there already are consequences for an action. HB 5023 fines striking public employees one day’s pay and their union $5,000 for each day of the strike. HB 5024 sets fines on members and their unions for mass picketing which disrupts an employer’s daily business. HB 5026 makes it easier for employers to hire replacements for striking workers.

John Duffy, MEA Local 1 President and 6-E Coordinating Council Chairperson, questioned how any of this legislation was conducive to creating jobs. Committee Chair Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) challenged Duffy by telling him that if unions followed the law there would be no negative impact. Duffy responded, "Since union members follow the law, there is no negative impact, but at the same time, there is no positive impact that creates jobs or improves the lives of the people of Michigan."
Rep. Timothy Bledsoe (D-Grosse Pointe) and Rep. Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield) joined representatives from the Professional Firefighters, the UAW and the AFL-CIO questioning the need for this legislation when Michigan is facing an economic crisis and needs to be focused on creating jobs.
The Committee will hear more testimony next week.

Senate education reform package still alive in House Education Committee

The Senate’s so-called education reform package (SB 618-624) is still being debated in the House Education Committee. On Wednesday, the Committee took up SB 621, 622, 709 and 710.
SB 621 expands the list of providers of classes to private and home-schooled students beyond an ISD to a contiguous district or charter school. SB 622, 709 and 710 expands dual enrollment provisions under the Post-Secondary Enrollment Act.
Supporting testimony praised the legislation for offering more educational opportunities to all Michigan students and being fiscally prudent--all at the same time. Committee members, however, repeatedly questioned the financial aspects of the bills--especially the rate being charged students by community colleges and universities.
John Duffy, MEA Local 1 President and 6-E Coordinating Council Chairperson, spoke in opposition to the bills, but with a focus on SB 619 which expands cyber schools. Criticizing them for being motivated solely by profit, Duffy used a local example to make his point.
"Republicans and the Mackinac Center criticize the Utica superintendent for the $300,000 salary she earns for overseeing the district and its students and administrators. They claim it's a waste of taxpayer dollars. Yet, the CEO of K12, the largest for-profit charter school management company in the country, earns $5 million and for supervising fewer students and taking in record profits at the expense of tax dollars and state aid. And that's not a waste?"
Duffy went on to criticize the other pieces of legislation for subsidizing the education of home-schooled and private school students with public school money. "It's an assault on public education.”
When asked how much money is needed to fund public schools, Duffy replied, "How about we start with the $1 billion that was taken away from them?"
MEA President Steve Cook submitted written testimony on SB 619 prior to the holidays, which can be read at here.

Bits of Capitol Comments

• Follow along with tonight's State of the State address -- and social media commentary about it -- at www.progressmichigan.org/2012SOTS. The site will feature a live stream of the speech starting at 7 p.m., alongside a running commentary from Twitter and Facebook. If you want to share your thoughts, use the hashtag #MISOTS.
  
• On Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m., Gov. Rick Snyder will be holding an online town hall with Michigan residents after his State of the State address on Wednesday. The town hall will be streamed live on Facebook on the Governor's Rick for Michigan page. Residents can submit questions in advance or through Facebook and Twitter once the meeting has started.
  
• Your help is needed to make sure Tim Greimel--a proven friend of education--is elected on Feb. 28 to the House District 29 seat left vacant by Tim Melton. Time has been set aside to make phone calls to MEA members living in House District 29 and volunteers are needed. Here's the schedule:
  
• Monday, Jan. 30, 5-8 p.m.
  
• Tuesday, Jan. 31, 5-8 p.m.
  
• Thursday, Feb. 16, 5-8 p.m.
  
• Saturday, Feb. 18, 1-5 p.m.
  

Contact Mark Walton at markwalton@comcast.net to give some time to this important special election. Do it for all MEA members. It's all part of the effort to take back the House in 2012.