Tag: labor (page 4)

Go ahead suckers.

The huff and puffery of Democrat and Union leadership is simply meant to shake the foundation of the fence sitters in the legislature.  Perhaps even to scare our governor Rick Snyder, who has commented on the divisiveness that our own Right To Work efforts might bring.

They TRIED to keep it out of Indiana.

Senator Carlin Yoder in this video from the Michigan CPAC discusses the right to work effort and the final passage making Indiana the 23rd right to work state in the country.

It should be noted, Governor Mitch Daniels was not on the side of RTW until recently.  He began to see the benefits of RTW for Indiana, and then, what many acknowledge as his competitive spirit, kicked in. Now Indiana is seeing immediate activity and interest as a result of its passing the Right to Work legislation.

Michigan has been fighting a battle that should never have been fought.  It is nearly over now, and after nearly $30,000,000 has been taken from the pockets of those who could least afford the theft, the Senate leader has relented and allowed the vote, and subsequent passage of SB1018. Because the house version of the bill HB 4003 is so similar, it should be expected to reach the governor's desk nearly immediately.

The scam came as a result of an inter-local agreement arranged by the former governor's office, and the hokey work around in defining employment based on contract labor.  Unions, and their willing accomplices in state government ceded the rights of the independent contractors who provide care services to a previously unknown place as employees of the state.  This allowed for the vote establishing a union to represent the new "employees" and begin withdrawing dues from their contract payments.  Child care workers, and home health workers were all affected if they received payment for their services from the state of Michigan.

Nearly all of them had no idea what was going on until the money was being held back.

In January of 2011, Maura Corrigan, former Michigan Supreme Court Justice, and the newly installed DHS director, rightly declared the child care workers were NOT employees of the state, ending their nightmare, but the Director of the Department of Community Health Olga Dazzo had no such plans.  This required further legislative action to clarify the status of the contractors.

Instead of acknowledging that there is trouble within the Michigan Senate, it might appear that the Senate GOP is going to circle the wagons.

Not so worried about that.

Around these parts we certainly acknowledge Michigan Senate majority leader Randy Richardville is a lousy excuse for a Republican.  He obviously has a conflict going on inside the ol oil can with regard to which side of the labor argument to be on.  He is a Republican.  However, and unnaturally, he seems to side with the goons that feast on the poor and unfortunate, that have more than enough problems without the help of a skim scam being protected by self service:

"On Wednesday, March 14, Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, R-Lowell, introduced Senate Bill 1018. The measure mirrors House Bill 4003, which was designed to stop the "skim" and prevent future forced unionizations. Co-sponsoring Hildenbrand's bill are 21 Senate Republicans. Only 20 votes are needed to pass legislation in the Senate.

This should mean there are now 22 GOP Senators leaning toward voting "yes' on HB 4003 and sending it to the Governor. However, they can't vote for the bill if Sen. Richardville refuses to put it up for a vote."

One of the ways that union membership can be better aware of the shenanigans their representation might be up to, is to remind them they are paying the bill.  Nothing makes it clearer, than taking away the invisible deduction as it is now. Credit to the Michigan legislature, and Governor Snyder for taking this first step to ensure accountability from the MEA and saving Michigan Taxpayers money.

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation ensuring the proper use of public funds and resources by prohibiting schools from deducting union dues or service fees from employees' paychecks.

House Bill 4929, sponsored by state Rep. Joe Haveman, also requires that unions representing public employees file with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission an independent audit of expenditures attributed to the cost of collective bargaining, contract administration and grievance adjustment. The commission must make the audits available to the public on its website.

"This legislation furthers the goal of good government by promoting greater transparency and ensuring that public resources are used solely for their intended purposes," Snyder said. "It is essential that state public school resources be devoted to the education of our children. This continues the fiscal reforms designed to save schools money and help them operate even more efficiently."

Schools currently collecting dues or service fees under collective bargaining agreements may continue to do so until the contract expires or is terminated, extended or renewed.

H.B. 4929 now is Public Act 53 of 2012.

Relentless Positive Action is a sissified way of saying "I don't want confrontation with labor" by Mr Snyder.

No one expected Rick Snyder, the left of center Republican governor to EMBRACE Right To Work, but at some points, in order to continue getting support for his other pet projects he has said [privately] he will "sign if it comes to his desk."  The outward warning now, is to make sure that doesn't happen, or at least to buy him some time until this years election removes a Republican majority from the state house. A loss NOT due to conservative action, but that which has capitulated to the non conservative participation with the governor's agenda. Skubick opines:

"Some Republicans are taking the risk and ignoring their governor's pleas to leave this alone because they can't help it. Now that they have hefty majorities in both the House and Senate, some believe it will help to cement their own re-elections with conservative voters back home. Plus they've been itching for years to do it."

The majorities exist now, and may not again, unless the Republicans embrace that which brought them there.  A strong conservative message coupled by bold action that will help workers in this state face down the liberal leftist labor elements that handicap it in the global marketplace. Snyder's reinvention of picking winners can hardly match the strength of policy that encourages naturally, the strong development of vibrant business in Michigan.

One needs to remember that much of the success and wealth accumulated by this executive office holder was done so as the result of government-business partnerships.

This morning, I received this from the Michigan Freedom To Work Committee:

The MIRS Weekly Report - "Senate Majority Leader Randy RICHARDVILLE (R-Monroe) told reporters Wednesday that he doesn't believe there are enough votes in the GOP caucus for Right to Work (RTW) legislation."  Regarding his personal position on Right to Work, "The Majority Leader said that he would be a "no" vote on RTW."

MIRS also reports, Michigan's unemployment rate this year is projected to be 9.4 percent and won't average below 9 percent until 2014... University of Michigan (U-M) economist George FULTON noted that the jobless rate remains "stubbornly high."  Unemployment was at 12.5 percent in 2010 and fell to 10.5 percent in 2011. It's forecasted to be 9.2 percent in 2013 and 8.7 percent in 2014.   http://www.michamber.com/mirs-weekly-report-0#RTW

"From this I can only gather that Majority Leader Richardville is content with an economy that is staggering at best," said UAW member and MI-Freedom to Work Chairman, Terry Bowman. "Is he satisfied with an unemployment rate of 10%?

"If Richardville is opposed to Right to Work he is in direct opposition to the wishes of 70% of Michigan voters including many in his own district.  As a Monroe native, I know firsthand that there is much support for Right to Work in his district. "

The first counter tallies SEIU dues skimmed since the union and state officials first launched this scheme in 2007. The second shows the amount skimmed since June 9, 2011, when the Michigan House passed and sent to the Senate a bill to ban this and all similar "stealth unionization" efforts.

Fact of the matter is, any substantive reform in labor should not be expected until a vote of no-confidence for the senate majority leader is held, and he is removed from his powerful post.

Perhaps a temper tantrum throwing majority leader issue.

As you all know, I support Right-To-Work.  I not only support it, but have done what is in my power to advance it, guide it, and bring a level of freedom of association, liberty etc., back to the workplace in Michigan.  Forced unionism has no place in a free land. it is antithetical to a country based on free will, a belief in the individual and responsibility.

Yet here we are having to perpetually remind our leadership that it is time to do a little soul searching with regard to labor relations. With contracts between free men, and agreeable partners. In fact I have opined/questioned in an email conversation recently:

"Under what obscene circumstances should I abrogate my liberty, my freedom of association, and pay a ransom for the privilege of applying my craft, or negotiating a trade arrangement with an agreeable employer?"

It is wrong. It is immoral. It requires a "slave's mindset." And I will see it ended before I am through fighting it.