Union members and supporters flood capitol

A crowd estimated to be between 1000 and 1500 people gathered in Lansing Tuesday to rally, protest and lobby against a series of GOP bills which they say would erode organized labor’s influence in Michigan.

Workers from as far away as the upper peninsula, joined with union members from Flint, Detroit, Lansing and elsewhere in gathering at Central United Methodist Church in downtown Lansing. The historic church is less than a block from the state capitol building. The union workers got organized and split into three groups — one to head to the House office building to lobby, another that went to the Farnum Building to lobby state senators and the third braved the freezing weather to create a picket line in front of the Capitol’s historical steps.

Before the union arrived, a small contingent of Tea Party faithful — about 20 in all — marched up and down the sidewalks along Capitol avenue. Leading them was Joan Fabiano of Grassroots Michigan. Fabiano toured Michigan this past election cycle with the Tea Party Express. As she marched the Gadsen flag touting group around the capitol she chanted “we want education not occupation” and “I am here for the children so they are not burdened with crushing debt.”

When the union members came out of the church and made their approach to the steps of the capitol chanting “Proud to be Union,” the Tea Party protesters disappeared, only to reappear about 30 minutes later parading down the sidewalks chanting. The Tea Party protesters then settled in in front of a statue on the Capitol lawn. Both groups were generally civil to each other.

Watching as union members chanted and walked in a circle, Lance Enderle of East Lansing was happy. The former Democratic candidate for the 8th Congressional District had helped draw in more people to the event. He said he got notification the AFL-CIO was holding a lobby day and wanted more bodies present. Enderle launched a Facebook group and drew hundreds of supporters from throughout the 8th Congressional District. Some were union members, he noted. Some, like himself were not.

“This effects everybody in this state,” Enderle said of GOP legislation targeting unions.

He was specifically upset about House Bill 4214. Calling the legislation “passive aggressive,” Enderle says the bill which would give broad powers to emergency financial managers could easily be used to eliminate union contracts negotiated and approved in good faith.

“Imagine if you make and agreement and sign a contract with me. Now, two weeks later I come back to you and say, ‘We don’t have to adhere to that agreement,’” Enderle said. “That says contracts don’t matter. That’s bad for business.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of union members were jammed into the lobby of the House Office Building. Because of security measures, state law enforcement officials were required to see the photo identification of each person entering the building before giving them a visitor stickers. On the sticker some had the name of their lawmakers. Others were there to get an early seat for the House Oversight, Reform and Ethics Committee hearing schedule for noon.

Sitting in the lobby of the House Office building was Lansing resident Jim Ramey. Ramey retired from working for GM after 45 years of service.

“That emergency financial manager bill is just going to take away all their (public unions) rights,” Ramey said. “We’re going to try to stop it.”

He says he understands the financial crisis the state is facing and he believes unions are ready to negotiate in good faith to help solve the money woes of the state and local governments. But the financial manager’s bill, he said, was a step too far.

“We fought to hard to gain collective bargaining rights and we’re not going to give ‘em up. It’s taken too long to get ‘em,” Ramey said.

Both Ramey and Enderle say they see the legislative agenda being pursued by lawmakers is setting the stage to eliminate collective bargaining rights. That, they said, will result in protests as large, and perhaps larger than, protests that have rocked Wisconsin for the last week after Gov. Scott Walker called for eliminating the right of public employee unions to engage in collective bargaining.

At 11:30, hundreds of union supporters had clogged the hallway and filled the gallery in hearing room 326 of the House Office Building. They were waiting for an opportunity to address the House Oversight, Reform and Ethics Committee — which was holding a public hearing about legislation to eliminate prevailing wage laws. They had been told they would not be allowed to speak at the hearing.

Two Sergeant of Arms officials were called to the meeting to prevent union member from entering room 326. Workers responded by chanting “Let us speak.”

“Lansing politicians refused to hear from us today, but we will make sure their constituents know what they’re doing in Lansing,” said John Hamilton, general vice president and business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324. “Michigan voters will know that their legislators are bending over backwards to help unscrupulous companies hire unskilled and undocumented workers, all to pad their own pockets.”

Here are two videos from the protest outside room 326: