Tag: MEA (page 3)

There are real consequences that can happen as a result of this misguided Union takeover venture (PROP 2) of our constitution.

Attorney General Bill Schuette on Thursday raised concerns about the devastating impact Proposal 2 would have on the safety of children in Michigan's public schools.  His remarks come on the heels of new and misleading ads falsely claiming that Proposal 2 would not impact the safety of Michigan's schools and classrooms.  Schuette was joined by Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen and Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines. Schuette said:

"The fact is and the truth is, Proposal 2 will undermine 170 laws, including critical measures intended to keep children safe in our schools. A huge concern for parents is preserving the safety of their children both to and from school, and in the classroom.  The legislature passed laws which provide safety tools like background checks to detect criminal records and drug or alcohol abuse before prospective employees set foot inside a school.

Proposal 2 would prohibit commonsense disciplinary policies for school employees and threaten state safety standards for school buses, both which makes the job of law enforcement more difficult.  Parents want safe streets on the way to school and safe hallways and safe classrooms.  Cops and sheriffs are on the front lines of safety.  Proposal 2 simply ties the hands of law enforcement and endangers the safety of Michigan's school children."

According to Proposal 2's own language, Michigan parents, voters and lawmakers would be permanently prohibited from "limit(ing) the right to collectively bargain for wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment."  Schuette noted the broad language of the proposal would allow collective bargaining agreements to override laws like Public Act 103 of 2011, which prohibits collective bargaining over teacher discipline policies to keep kids safe from teachers who abuse drugs and alcohol, and Public 187 of 1990, which establishes minimum training and continuing education requirements for people operating school buses.

From Lansing, we are hearing that Chicago-style teacher strikes could be heading to local school districts across Michigan if union leaders behind the deceptive Proposal 2 successfully hijack Michigan's constitution this November.  According to a leaked internal memo from the state's largest teachers union, the Michigan Education Association (MEA), passage of Proposal 2 would overturn the Michigan law that creates penalties for striking teachers, paving the way for Chicago-style teacher strikes in Michigan school districts.

Teachers in Chicago yesterday walked out of their classrooms after rejecting a 16 percent pay increase, outraging parents and kicking nearly 400,000 students out of their schools and onto the streets.

While teacher strikes are technically "illegal" in Michigan, Michigan's Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) establishes the only legal penalty for teachers who walk out on their classrooms; a fine equal to one day's pay for each school day spent on strike.

In 1994 the Michigan legislature enacted Public Act 112 which amended the Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) to prohibit union bosses from removing these penalties for striking teachers during labor negotiations.

According to a leaked internal memo from the MEA (linked above), upon passage of Proposal 2:

"The prohibited bargaining topics created by 1994 PA 112 and included in Section 15(3) of PERA would NO LONGER exist (including)... Any compensation or additional work assignment intended to reimburse an employee for or to allow an employee to recover any monetary penalty imposed under PERA."

Making the MEA happy for the sake of a few votes will backfire.  Making the MEA stronger will just make you regret the small rope chain you thought might hold it several years ago. The Mackinac Center's McHugh reports:

"If passed by the House and signed by Gov. Rick Snyder, this would be arguably the most impactful state budget reform since Gov. John Engler signed a similar measure for state workers back in 1996. That measure has helped taxpayers avoid some $4.3 billion in unfunded liability since then. Unfortunately, House Republicans led by Appropriations Committee Chairman Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham, appear willing to give the union a victory by deep-sixing this reform."

Bad timing friend.

When trying to inspire conservatives for the biggest vote of the last century in November, its not really a good idea to go all LIBERAL.

Ya know?  

And given a birdy telling me about the ambition to remain relevant for a big race in 2014, it might be prudent to consider a fiscally courageous stand here. Take heart, as even Richardville voted for it. But if you pursue grinding this walkback out of the house, you may wind up wearing it like a millstone around your neck in any future political contests.  

There are a few of us who will be there for the adorning.

The Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO), headed by Maureen Taylor, has been telling Detroit welfare recipients to occupy foreclosed homes around the city. "You can't imagine," Taylor told WWJ in Detroit, "when we get to work at 9 and 10 in the morning, there are 20 to 30 people in the hallway talking about `I don't have any more money, my rent is due' - three or four months behind - what can I do? And its unreal, because we don't have answers except to say, `here's a list of houses that we have intercepted that have been repossessed by banks, pick one and move in.'" To boot these trespassers out of the homes, banks are forced to take MWRO to court.

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via Human Events

Terri List says she would tell her students not to become a teacher in Michigan.

Why?

One of the reasons is because the Saginaw Township Community School District English teacher won't be able to retire at age 47 as she has hoped.

List was highlighted by the Michigan Education Association as one of the critics of Senate Bill 1040, which would require public school employees to contribute at least 5 percent of their compensation to their retirement plan.

The MEA reported on its website: "Saginaw Township teacher Terry (sic) List had hoped to retire in the next three years when she was 47 years old. That wouldn't be possible under SB 1040. List would have to work another 16 years to be eligible for health benefits."

"By the time I'm 60, I would have put in 43 years of service, earning a salary at the top of the pay scale. How does that save the district money? You could hire two people for the cost of one and encourage young people to join the profession. Right now, I would not recommend to my pupils to become a teacher in Michigan."

List didn't respond to an email seeking comment.

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