This is the second great setback for workers and unions in Michigan, coming on the heels of last year’s ramming through of so-called ‘right to work’ laws by Republicans and right-wing Governor Snyder. That same Republican-dominated legislative session overrode a fresh, legally binding referendum passed by Michigan voters that rejected Governor Snyder’s use of Emergency Financial Managers (EFM). The Republicans simply tinkered with the old law and passed a new EFM as part of an appropriations bill – which cannot be put to a referendum.

For union workers in Detroit, a city which is 84% African American, the bankruptcy is a disaster. Despite union givebacks and changes to retirement and pension plans, workers are hearing bankruptcy experts say they can expect between 10 and 20 cents on the dollar for their years of hard work and dedication. So despite years of union contracts, negotiated with local elected officials and approved under state laws, a judge will ultimately decide how much of a pension workers will get.

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union, or AFSCME, represents about 70% of Detroit city workers, excluding categories like police and firefighters. AFSCME says their pension benefits were reduced by nearly 40% since 2012. In addition, on the job workers took a 10% pay cut in the past fiscal year to help avoid bankruptcy. Right now the average yearly pension is $19,000, but could go down to $9000 after the judge’s ruling.

There is no doubt that Detroit is a suffering city, whose manufacturing base along with hundreds of thousands of jobs largely disappeared since the 1970s. In previous decades Detroit was seen as a successful and exciting city, popularly known throughout the world for cars, sports, Motown music and good jobs. African Americans and their labor were a large part of this success. People in Detroit were proud of their city, their struggles and their accomplishments and they exercised more control over their lives than ever before.

However the big capitalists began to abandon Detroit starting in the 1970s, taking their investments and production elsewhere – to the suburbs, the South and overseas. Population began to fall, reaching less than half of what it once was, down to 701,000 today. With population falling steeply after 2000, Detroit now has a smaller tax base and the same and sometimes greater responsibilities. Corporations that did stay paid less in taxes. The good jobs dwindled. The great economic crisis that hit in 2008 left even more workers unemployed – today around 18% – hurting city income even more.

During the great economic crisis, the U.S. government spent billions to bail out banks and insurance companies, but there is no lifeline for Detroit and its workers. Instead they are being punished with bankruptcy, as if it is the only option. In the process, the politicians and judges are breaking contracts and abandoning long-held promises to workers and unions. Republican Governor Rick Snyder, instead of working with Detroit to avoid crisis, cut state funding in recent years ($66 million was cut between 2011-2012) and then took over local government by appointing an Emergency Financial Manager, sidelining the Mayor and other elected officials. The Governor has used the EFM to take over in small blue-collar towns, local school districts, and now the city of Detroit. The result of the EFM is always the same: cuts in social programs, privatization of schools and services and a refusal to negotiate with union workers, followed by their eventual replacement. In most cases thus far, the targets of EFM are government bodies run by African Americans.

Detroit faces real problems, but the rich and their politicians take advantage of the situation, and turn it into a crisis so they can seize power. Next they privatize valuable assets, like the Detroit Water and Sewage Department, at bargain basement prices. Wall Street wants to get their hands on the water works, so they can charge higher prices to homeowners and make a profit off of what should be a public utility. The EFM for Detroit, Kevyn Orr, has outside experts providing ‘valuations’ of the full range of city assets, including the parking meters and parking garages, publicly owned land like Belle Isle and other parks, the Detroit-WindsorTunnel (to Canada) and the Coleman A. Young International Airport. It may soon all be up for sale.

Even the public works of art in the Detroit Institute of Art are not safe. Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr had all the art appraised this week by Christie’s auction house. Orr’s representative, the New York investment banker Ken Buckfire, had secretly sent Christie’s appraisers to the art museum in June on an ‘informal’ basis. This past week, Buckfire was forced to cancel an ‘informal’ tour of Detroit. ‘Advisers’ were going to be shown the assets of the city that are going up for sale.

Judge Rhodes’ ruling is an attack on pensions, workers and unions across the country. It opens the door for other cities to run out on their contracts and displace unions. With Illinois pensions being called into question and some California cities facing similar funding problems, Detroit is now a test case. Republicans are leading the charge to force bankruptcy, suspend and override election results, to sell off assets and to cut and privatize social services. The Democrats are shrugging their shoulders and promising things will be different at the next election. The unions are in a life and death fight in Detroit. Workers have a lot at stake.

#DetroitMI #PoorPeoplesMovements #pensions #privatization #RepublicanAgenda #GovernorRickSnyder #antiunionBusting #workersRights

Grand Rapids, MI – Giving new meaning to ‘soldiers of solidarity,’ U.S. veterans joined fired health care workers to rally in front of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans on the afternoon of July 1. The action, involving nearly 100 people, exposed Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s privatization schemes, in this case leading to neglect and abuse of veterans. Longtime resident care aides employed by the state of Michigan were fired, and their jobs privatized by the non-union J2S Group, a for-profit company that refuses to speak on the matter.

AFSCME Local 261 President Mark Williams called for the protest saying, “Experienced aides were tossed aside on a flimsy cost saving argument. Veterans deserve proper care!”

Ed Helwig is a retired Army veteran E8, and member of both the Disabled Army Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Helwig was out protesting in full Vietnam era uniform, including a radio pack. He said, “I am concerned about the abuse and neglect of veterans inside the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, including 50 women vets from the Vietnam era. There are also Korea and World War II veterans.”

Helwig continued, “Veterans testified at the Michigan State Civil Service Commission a few months ago and told shocking stories. Apparently a trainee from the private company was going to physically lift a vet from a wheel chair to a bed without a Hoyer lift, so the trainer took him out of the room to get the lift and when they came back, the veteran had fallen out of the wheelchair and was lying on the floor with a broken nose and back pains.”

Veterans and fired union workers say military patients are endangered by low staffing levels and poor training that leads to substandard care under the J2S Group. The privatized workers are paid $10 an hour – less than half the pay and benefits the unionized health care workers had. J2S is struggling to fill full-time positions and retain employees.

Megan Terry and Gail Klukos are resident care aides who worked at the Grand Rapids Home for more than nine and ten years respectively. They were fired on March 12, when the private contract workers they were told were “filling in” for vacations and sick days during the past year replaced the 172 union workers. The women said, “Two years ago they stopped admitting to our 750-patient facility and there are 450 veterans now. It is unbelievable, but the entire top floor is empty. Even still, there are still not enough workers to cover weekend shifts and some workers are being forced to take three shifts in a row. That is a violation.”

Terry explained, “As state employees our training involved two weeks of classroom and two weeks of shadowing experienced resident care aides. The privates get eight hours and are sent on their way not knowing what they are doing.”

Asked, “What do you do now?” Terry replied she has a new job in Kalamazoo and Klukos says she is still looking. Klukos said, “I would love to come back and work here again. We still come to visit our patients. We love these guys. Both of us come once a week.”

Fired Veterans Home health care worker and AFSCME union member Michael Booker explained, “The veterans we care for are not just ‘patients’ but also fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and family. My own father spent the last two years of his life here before he died. I saw and cared for my Dad every day. I was lucky not to be drafted to go to Vietnam and I did not want to go, but coming from a military family I felt it was important to take care of those veterans who were forced to go.”

Local African American leader and Vietnam era veteran Paul Mayhue pointed out, “Governor Snyder can fix this terrible situation with an executive order and make it right. All we need is the word from the Nerd! Things are heading in the wrong direction.”

#GrandRapidsMI #Healthcare #AFSCME #veterans #GovernorRickSnyder #workersRights #tradeUnion

Lansing, MI – Upwards of 10,000 union workers and their supporters rallied outside the Michigan State Capitol today, Dec. 11, chanting, “Kill the bill!” People of all ages rallied, from Vietnam Vets to high school students. The United Auto Workers, Michigan Teachers Union, government workers with AFSCME and AFGE, construction, fire fighters and other unions joined together to oppose so-called ‘right to work’ bills.

Michigan Republicans caught Democratic legislators sleeping on the job, and launched a surprise campaign, speeding the ‘right to work’ bills through the House. The vote by Michigan legislators to hamper government unions passed 58 votes to 51. A second bill affecting the private sector, like auto plants, passed 58-52. It allows workers to opt out of paying dues to the union, while benefiting from a union contract. It is a step by Republican politicians aimed at destroying unions altogether.

Now the bills go to Governor Rick Snyder, who promised to sign them, reversing his earlier position. Snyder, a Republican, campaigned for governor presenting himself as “the Nerd”, but once in office ran a far-right agenda benefiting the wealthy and corporations. When the bill passed the House, demonstrators chanted, “Don’t sign it!” both inside and outside the Michigan capitol building.

The governor called out riot police, including riot-clad horses. Former Congressman Mark Schauer of Michigan and other union members were pepper sprayed by police as they attempted to negotiate a path to move away from the capitol building. Then around noon, union rank and file members knocked down a large tent belonging to a handful of anti-union types. The union members reportedly told the misnamed Americans for Progress that today was the union members’ day to protest and chased the corporate toadies away after a few scuffles. Police moved in to try to protect the corporate funded anti-union activists, but arrived too late.

Unions mobilized broadly across Michigan for today’s protest, including unions arriving from the state’s Upper Peninsula. Labor activists also came from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio in solidarity. The union leaders’ message is “strong unions mean a better life for all working people.” In states with ‘right to work’ laws, wages and benefits are amongst the lowest in the country. The battle is going to heat up again prior to Governor Snyder signing the bills into law. Jesse Jackson arrived in the afternoon and, using the people’s mic, called for a one-day general strike.

#LansingMI #StateRepression #rightToWork #GovernorRickSnyder #antiunionBusting

The purpose of ‘right to work’ legislation is union busting. These laws mean that workers who benefit from union representation do not have to pay union dues. States that have passed these laws have seen wages go down, along with union power. If Michigan Republicans are able to get by with this attack, it will be a setback for workers everywhere.

Michigan Republicans fear another Wisconsin, where there was a massive and heroic fightback against the union busting plans of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. So Michigan Republicans launched a surprise attack during a lame duck secession of the legislature. They kept things quiet. They did not hold hearings where the public could state our opinions – they just rammed the bill through.

When the labor movement got wind of their plans and converged on the State Capitol last week, the answer was repression. Protesters in front of the Senate Chambers were maced, some were arrested and the Capitol building was put on lockdown to keep protesters out.

As things stand now, the legislature is set to reconvene on Tuesday, Dec.11. Republican politicians will have to reconcile the differences between the ‘right to work’ for less bills passed in the House and Senate. The Senate bill also covers state workers. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says he will sign the ‘right to work’ for less law.

It is vital that workers mobilize now to stop this attack. Every worker who can go to Lansing should go. Michigan workers have a proud history of struggle. We need that militancy now.

Protest in Lansing, Michigan, Tuesday, Dec. 11. Stop the so-called ‘right to work’ bill!

#LansingMI #rightToWork #GovernorRickSnyder #antiunionBusting

Lansing, MI – Nearly 200 protesters rallied here July 25. They stood for three hours on the steps of the Michigan “Hall of Justice,” to demand an end to Governor Rick Snyder’s use of Emergency Financial Managers (EFM).

The EFM law is a new dictatorial method used by Governor Snyder to impose cutbacks and privatization, as well as violate the local autonomy of elected officials. Snyder, a Republican who campaigned as “the Nerd,” presented himself as likeable and harmless, but he quickly went to work cutting funding, suspending elected officials and taking over school boards and local governments using unelected state appointed Emergency Financial Managers.

As protesters made speeches outside, the Michigan Supreme Court heard the case about an upcoming ballot initiative to do away with Emergency Financial Managers. Over 200,000 signatures were collected on petitions to put the EFM on the ballot for voters to decide in November. Instead of allowing a vote, the ballot to end EFM is being dragged through the courts by Republicans. The Sterling Corporation, which runs a group called Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility is trying to kill, or at least delay, the EFM ballot initiative in court by claiming the font size on the titles of the petitions was too small. In Michigan, this is what ‘democracy’ looks like. The Stand Up for Democracy coalition, which collected the petitions, is forced to eat up time and money in court, instead of campaigning for public support.

Speaking at the rally, Councilman Kermit Williams of Pontiac said, “Governor Snyder’s Public Act Four is not an act for the public, but an act for the corporations.” He added, “The EFM has more power than a governor. They can come in to local government and do what they want. The government has failed us today!”

Led by preachers, the crowd chanted, “Put it on the ballot. Let me vote!” and “The judges don’t decide. We decide!” Speaker after speaker representing African-American activist groups, local government officials and important unions were present: Black Women’s Political Caucus of Muskegon, AFSCME Council 25, UAW Local 6000, National Action Network of Detroit, the Reverend Pinkney of Benton Harbor with the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization (BANCO), Lansing Occupy and the Left Forum of Grand Rapids.

Pat Driscoll, a worker and member of United Steel Workers Local 1299, was in the courtroom with 60 or more people seeking a decision from the Michigan Supreme Court. Coming out of the court, Driscoll said, “They need to let the people vote. These big business types are using technicalities and maneuvers to keep this off the ballot. The Emergency Financial Managers are used to cut public services and break union contracts. It is all to protect the banks’ money after the big bank bailouts, and now the government is selling off assets for bargain prices, privatizing and forcing concessions on workers.” Later Driscoll added, “It is racist too, they are targeting majority African-American areas to start with.”

The Supreme Court is not likely to announce a decision until the end of August, delaying the ballot initiative another six weeks. When the referendum is put on the ballot, the EFM law is automatically suspended until the November vote. There are seven cities and/or school districts with EFM’s: Flint, Pontiac, Ecorse, Benton Harbor, Detroit, Muskegon Heights and Highland Park. The gains of the civil rights movement are being turned back in Michigan.

#LansingMI #privatization #Racism #bugdgetCuts #GovernorRickSnyder

Grand Rapids, MI – 150 people protested here, March 15, against Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s plans to impose extreme budget cuts to health clinics, schools and other social services. The crowd chanted, “It’s not fair!” “Chop from the top!” and “They say cut back. We say fight back!” outside a health clinic serving mainly women and children on Cherry Street in Grand Rapids.

Concerned parents, union members and their children joined March 15 protests in many small cities and towns across the state. For many it was their first protest as they prepared for the big rally in the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing set for March 16. Thousands prepared to protest and possibly occupy the Capitol Building to stop harmful legislation.

The legislation being pushed by Governor Rick Snyder is deemed worse than the anti-union and anti-democratic laws imposed by Wisconsin’s Governor Walker. Michiganders are surprised by the sharp attacks from Snyder, who presented himself as the ‘nerd’ candidate, a sensible and moderate Republican. Snyder defeated two Tea Party candidates to win the Republican primary, but is now carrying forward the Wall Street agenda of imposing cuts in services and breaking unions. Everyone knows the money is in the banks and the rich people are hording it.

The Parent-Teacher Association circulated a notice explaining that Snyder is cutting per pupil funding by $470, while forcing local school districts to pick up 3.8% of pension responsibilities and as much as 20% of health insurance premiums. The Grand Rapids Public Schools Communication Director, John Helmholdt, sent an emergency alert explaining, “In addition to the per-pupil funding cut (a cost of $5.6 million to GRPS), the district is facing an additional $6 million-plus in cuts to the ‘categorical’ funds. Specifically, the Governor's budget cuts or eliminates funding for small class sizes, declining enrollment, bilingual services, special education services (expense reimbursement), school health centers and GRAPCEP Engineering and Biomedical School.”

The actual loss in funding from the state will be closer to $700 per student. This comes at a time when Grand Rapids Public Schools are announcing a successful turnaround in performance, gaining high marks in student achievement. The attacks from the state capitol are targeting urban school districts with large populations of African-American, Mexican-American and working class students.

The rally ended with a call to protest in Lansing on March 16 with unions, students and community organizations. Michigan’s own Michael Moore is organizing buses from all over the state and promising to cheer working people on as they take matters into their own hands at the State Capitol.

#GrandRapidsMI #PoorPeoplesMovements #BudgetCuts #BudgetCrisis #GovernorRickSnyder