I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
At a Wednesday midday rally on the steps of the state Capitol, Sen. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Richard Hammel announced that they will be submitting a bill to amend the Michigan constitution to guarantee collective bargaining rights.
Whitmer fired up the crowd, which was far larger than the protest on Tuesday organized by the AARP and the Michigan League of Human Services, calling out Gov. Rick Snyder for saying he supports collective bargaining rights while pushing for legislation that diminishes those rights.
After quoting Snyder saying that Michigan is not Wisconsin because we have a heritage of collective bargaining in this state, Whitmer said, “But I wonder why he pushed through to have the emergency financial manager legislation rushed through the legislature last week.”
But this issue goes far beyond that single piece of legislation, she told the crowd, saying, “And for once and all, let’s put this issue to bed in Michigan. I think it’s time for Republicans to stop telling people what they want to hear and then turn around and pass legislation that weaken your rights and threaten your ability to make a living wage.”
“And that’s why Rep. Rick Hammel and I are announcing today,” Whitmer continued, “that we are introducing an amendment to the Michigan constitution that will very simply, in one sentence, protect every individual’s right to join a union and collectively bargain.”
The proposed amendment would read as follows:
SEC. 28. EVERY PERSON SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORM, JOIN, OR ASSIST LABOR ORGANIZATIONS AND TO BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY THROUGH REPRESENTATIVES CHOSEN BY THE MEMBERS OF THE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS AS TO WAGES, BENEFITS, AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.
Whitmer and Hammel also sent a letter to Gov. Snyder urging him to support the constitutional amendment, expressing in more diplomatic language the same message she had for the crowd as they cheered wildly: “They say we’re not Wisconsin. Well then, let’s prove it.”
Here is the video of Whitmer’s speech on the steps of the capitol:
And here is the letter from Whitmer and Hammel to Snyder:
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