November 2011
Progress Michigan Calls on Legislature to Come Clean About Mackinac Center’s Influence
Progress Michigan has published the following press release:
Progress Michigan Calls on Legislature to Come Clean About Mackinac Center’s Influence
Lawmakers should honor transparency if group truly is not lobbying
Lansing – Progress Michigan called today on the state Legislature to release all emails and other communications between lawmakers and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, including those of a lobbying nature, in light of the center’s admission that its goal is to “outlaw government collective bargaining in Michigan.”
“Right-wing politicians have long relied on the Mackinac Center for their talking points and warped data to prop up their anti-worker agenda,” said David Holtz, executive director of Progress Michigan. “This peek behind the curtain confirms that the Mackinac Center is not only advocating for hard-right policies, but this supposed non-partisan think tank is also intimately involved with Republicans in the mechanics of legislation. And it is doing so without the kind of transparency they routinely demand of others. Lawmakers should release all their communications with the Mackinac Center to prove that they are not being influenced by a group that has no business lobbying at the Capitol.”
The Midland-based Mackinac Center for Public Policy is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt, charitable organization that describes itself as “a research and educational institute.” While it is not registered as a lobbying organization with the state, a series of emails obtained by Progress Michigan indicates the Mackinac Center was actively seeking to influence legislation regarding health care benefits for teachers and other public workers. The emails involved communications between six Mackinac Center staff members and Republican State Rep. Tom McMillin between June 1 and June 8. McMillin is the Chair of the House Education Committee, appointed after the recall of former state Rep. Paul Scott.
State law requires any individual or corporation who lobbies to register with the Michigan Secretary of State and report lobbying expenditures that exceed certain spending thresholds. State law defines lobbying as “communicating directly with an official in the executive branch of state government or an official in the legislative branch of state government for the purpose of influencing legislative or administrative action.”
Moreover, on its 2010 IRS tax forms, the Mackinac Center specifically indicated it does not engage in lobbying. Tax-exempt charitable organizations like the Mackinac Center that lobby are required to inform the IRS about lobbying and there are restrictions on how much lobbying a charitable organization can undertake without risking loss of its tax-exempt status.
Progress Michigan has sent letters to the House and Senate requesting that, in the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act and Mackinac Center’s own history of advocating for transparency by state government, legislators release emails between themselves and their staffs and the Mackinac Center.
“The Mackinac Center seems clearly to have a lobbying agenda, and in his communication Representative McMillin did not object to its goals of destroying collective bargaining for teachers and other Michigan workers,” Holtz said. “Apparently Republican lawmakers have not heard the message from Ohio voters – a message that Michigan residents also have sent loud and clear: that collective bargaining is a basic right for every worker. Citizens deserve to know which elected officials and leaders are working with the Mackinac Center to destroy this right and the values we cherish in Michigan.”
Copies of the emails in question are available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/74052346/Mackinac-Center-Emails.
Mackinac Center’s 990 form for 2010 is available at http://www.scribd.com/doc/74049695/Mackinac-Center-990-form-2010.
Technical Unit Stewards
(Starting from U.P. going South) as of 11/23/2011
GARY LAYSELL, Alternate, MSP – Work: 906-643-7532 Jurisdiction: MSP St Ignace Radio Shop
TAMMY CRUICKSHANK, Chief Steward, MDOC – Work: 906-495-5674 x 2034 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 2
SHANNON AYERS, Steward, MDOC – Work: 906-495-2282 x4425 Jurisdiction: Kincheloe
JULAINE BERQUIST, Steward, MDOC – Work: 906-226-6531 Jurisdiction: Marquette Branch Prison
STEVE LUDWICK, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 989-775-6104 x309 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 3, Work Address: Mt. Pleasant TSC
BARNEY EWING, Steward, MDOT – Work: 231-941-1986 Jurisdiction: Traverse City TSC
MIKE MANDRICK, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 989-356-2231Ext 260 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 4 Work Address: Alpena TSC
TOM TAYLOR, Steward, MDOT – Work: 989-344-1802 x 314 Jurisdiction: Grayling TSC
VACANT: Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 5
WILLIAM HATCH, Steward, DMVA – Work: 616-364-5350 Jurisdiction: Grand Rapids Home for Veterans
VACANT – Jurisdiction: Muskegon Correctional
JOHN ECK, Steward, MDOT – Work: 616-451-2730 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 7
GEORGE HEATH, Steward, MDOT – Work Phone: 231-777-3451 Ext. 307 Jurisdiction: Muskegon TSC
KIM GREZESZAK, Steward, MDOT – Work: 810-678-3904 Jurisdiction: Grayling TSC
STEVE GASSER, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 810-658-4029 x316 Jurisdiction: Davison TSC
DUANE CASHIER, Steward, MDOT – Work: 269-849-1165 x329 Jurisdiction: Coloma TSC
ROBERT SMREK, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 269-789-0560 x233 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 8
TOM WAGNER, Alternate, MDOT – Work: 810-845-4590 Jurisdiction: Taylor TSC
NOREEN KRIEGER, Steward, CORR – Work: 734-434-3272 Jurisdiction: Huron Valley Complex
CHRIS ROE, Steward, MDOT – Work: 517-780-5281 Jurisdiction: Jackson TSC
CLIFF BURKHOLDER, Steward, MDOT – Work: 810-985-5011 Jurisdiction: Port Huron TSC
ROBERT O’DELL, Alternate, MDOT – Work: 810-227-4681
GARY BEASLEY, Alternate, MDOT – Work: 517-322-6318 Jurisdiction: State Secondary Complex
MARK WHIPPLE, Steward, MDOT – Work: 517-322-6239 Jurisdiction: C & T
JERRY SWIFT, Steward, MDOT – Work: 517-324-2266 Jurisdiction: Lansing TSC
BOB BISHOFF, Alternate, DEQ – Work: 517-335-6436 Jurisdiction: Rose Lake
JULIANA BULLION, Steward, DMB – Work: 517-322-5868 Jurisdiction: Print & Graphics Srv
PAUL CRISTINI, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 810-225-2621 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 14 Work Address: Brighton TSC
ARNOLD BELLER, Chief Steward, MDOT – Work: 586-978-1935 Jurisdiction: All Departments in Chapter 13 Work Address: Macomb County TSC
RODERICK JACKSON, Steward, MDOT – Work: 586-978-1935 ext. 234 Jurisdiction: 38257 Mound Round, Sterling Heights
BEN BOOHER, Steward, MDOT – 313-304-4104 Jurisdiction: Taylor TSC
LINDA ZIMMERMAN, Steward, MDOT – Work: 586-978-1935 Jurisdiction: Macomb TSC
Bridge Action Press Coverage
The actions at bridges in Saginaw, Kalamazoo and Detroit have ended. View the press coverage of these events below:
Coverage From Detroit including video: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/protesters-shut-down-2nd-avenue-bridge-in-detroit
Coverage from Saginaw including video: http://www.wnem.com/story/16068390/occupy-protest-hits-midland-saginaw
Coverage from Kalamazoo: http://www.wwmt.com/news/detroit-1398500-michigan-street.html
Today is the 99% Campaign Visibility Day
On November 18 – 19th we will be following up our bridge day actions with a show of support for the 99% Campaign. The 99% Agenda includes: Good Jobs! No More Cuts! End the Tax Cuts for the Richest 1%; and Wall Street and Corporations must pay their Share of Taxes. The 99% symbol is rapidly becoming the symbol for the 2012 Election Cycle on behalf of working people across this country.
We felt that with so many millions of people unemployed and hurting, and Congress not doing anything about it, we had to do something dramatic to call attention to this crisis. In fact, Congress and its “Super Committee” are proposing Trillions of dollars in Cuts to programs for working people. That will cost millions more Americans their jobs while continuing to give the 1% richest Americans more tax breaks!
Members are encouraged to display the 99% signs in their homes, cars, workplaces, Facebook profile pictures, and computer desktop wallpaper to show their support for the campaign.
Signs for printing and distribution to the membership and the community and the Facebook graphic to use on Facebook and as a desktop wallpaper are provided below.
Analysis and Q & A Concerning Retirement Bills
UPDATE: Status of Legislation 12-8-11: HB 4701 (S-1) and HB 4702 just passed the Senate with 23 yes votes. The substitute bill for 4701 (S-1) includes overtime averaged over six years in the final average compensation. The bill goes back to the House for a concurrent vote.
The Senate Fiscal Agency has prepared an analysis of retirement bills HB 4701 and 4702. View the analysis and summary.
Questions Received on HB 4701.
Q: What happens to service credit that was purchased? The bill references purchased time as counting as service credit but if someone currently has 30 years of service plus 5 years of purchased time will their FAC be calculated using the purchased time? Also, someone who has 25 years of service and is paying on 5 years of purchased time – Does the purchased time count towards the 30 years and they get kicked out of the DB plan at 25 years? If not, and they work 5 more years and hit 30 years, what happens to the 5 years of their purchased time?
A: If a defined benefit member chose not to stay in that then any service credit purchased under a payment plan in effect by March 31, 2012 could be included in the pension calculations. If a member chose to pay 4% and remain in the defined benefit plan until reaching their attainment date, he or she could count service credit that was purchased under a payment plan in effect by the attainment date. Those who choose to pay 4% until they are terminated or retire may count service credit purchased at any time. Switching to the DC plan once a member has 30 years of service is voluntary—they are not “kicked out” of the defined benefit plan at that point.
November 17th is Bridge Action Day
Join with SEIU members and community activists on Thursday, November 17, 2011 on Bridge Action Day. There will be actions in Detroit, Kalamazoo, and Saginaw. We will be highlighting the need for investment in our infrastructure and the jobs that these investments would provide. Michigan needs jobs now. Instead of giving handouts to big corporations, we need our leaders to stop the power struggles and focus on creating good jobs that pay a fair wage. By investing in our crumbling local bridges, we can put Michigan back to work and get our economy moving again. View the specific event flyer below:
Privatized Members Ratify New Contract
The Saginaw Public Schools/Sodexo Group (maintenance,grounds,custodians) approximately 67 members who were recently outsourced to Sodexo, have ratified a 3 year contract. Members were able to retain several things from the school, however they did see changes in other area’s such as health care. However they did get all the same holidays, raises each of the 3 years, a signing bonus and also started accruing vacation and sick time back to the take over date. The group ratified the contract by 98% that were eligible to vote (47 yes 9 no).
Thanks to the bargaining team: Kim Jesse, Sam McGee and Bob Campbell who all did a lot of hard work.