Response to Detroit News Op-Ed "Snyder hasn't earned anti-union label: Nothing he's done so far infringes on collective bargaining rights" on March 18, 2011.
Just a few points on this News Op-Ed:
1. "(N)obody is losing their collective bargaining rights under the emergency financial manager legislation signed into law this week by Gov. Rick Snyder." The honest track was that of Scott Walker in Wisconsin, do what you do to destroy collective bargaining head "on and then call it "progressive." Snyder's team's temerity is to make the "union busting" process loing and drawn out, bone ugly, and extremely divisive. Snyder, in a word, wants to further destroy this state turning one governmental unit against another. This Snyder does with threats and coercion. But he's attempting to sugar coat it with denials of his end purposes.
2. "(T)he charge just doesn't stick to Snyder." -- - "he's said repeatedly he will not follow the lead of governors in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere, and seek to weaken collective bargaining for public employees." Again, the method chosen by the Snyder team is duplicitous and corrupting. Afraid to take on the issue of collective bargaining in a straight forward manner; Snyder chose to do it with a cruel method. Impose shortfalls and revenue shortages at his discretion: Large cuts to school aid, and cutting off Block Grants to local units via State Government Control; out of Lansing. To this, Snyder adds the threatening provisions of a new and severely harsh EFM/Emergency Finance Manager. These SUPER BUREAUCRATS are being trained and put in place with wide and powerful dictatorial digression to destroy local units in an entire variety of ways. Breaking the contracts is not holding the collective bargaining process inviolate.
3. "And nothing in the emergency financial manager law infringes on collective bargaining" The highly paid agents of the Dillion/Flannagan's newly created Plunkett/Cooney friendly "firm run" Realignment Bureau have an unlimited ceiling to their compensation and powers; such as any boss would envy. Local property rights are about to be trashed. To be added to the trauma of an imposed "emergency" is the potential for huge costs to be levied against the local unit to fund the EFM's, further liquidating whatever taxpayer assets might remain. This is a self-feeding fee frenzy.!
4. "The only thing that changes is that if the governmental unit reaches the point of insolvency, the manager can (do what he deems necessary) to balance the books and avoid default, including breaking or rewriting contracts with unions and vendors." The way this entire anti-union, anti-collective bargaining scheme is structured rests on the fact that Snyder et al can and will use directed political decisions to make discretionary cuts in revenue to be tailored to the specific unit(s) they want to push into "insolvency." If and when the public comes to see the carnage Snyder has imposed on their fire department, their policing, their schools, etc. the reactions will be bitter and long lasting. This Snyder, the stubborn, cannot conceive as possible: he holds to a bumper sticker thought: Simple, Fair and Efficient. Rick feels a little "Chris Christie" bullyboy shove and kick will suffice; a loud outcry and then the struggle will all be over. Not so. If one does not fight for what has been their community, their family civic heritage, then what is there left to fight for. SNYDER'S BIG GOVERNMENT SLAP DOWN ON THE WORKING FOLK IS UNACCEPTABLE.
5. "But even that's not so much of a change" In the past we held our noses because the effected units were 'throwaways' areas the rest of the state had turned its back on. Now it won't be just war-torn Benton Harbor or some inner city satellite governmental unit, it will be "your hometown" your first responders units that are callously trashed for the sake of politics and goals set in motion by the ugly remnants of Englerism and the teapartisans with pitchforks.
6. The EFM law "law does not dissolve the unions." Snyder has said he hopes toughening the law, a version of which has been on the books since the early 1990s, will act as an incentive for local governments and their unions to work out deals at the bargaining table to avoid financial emergencies. There are early signs that the strategy is working." Snyder's "incentives" are direct dictatorial actions that will clearly indicate whose in charge and clearly show that the local sovereignty over local affairs is history. Local government is THEIR GOVERNMENT, TOP-DOWN BIG GOVERNMENT FROM LANSING TO CRUSH LOCAL CONTROL. Folks this isn't the way it was supposed to turn out. Tea Party advocates take clear notice, YOU'VE BEEN HAD.
7. "Democratic legislative leaders are fanning the flames by promising a ballot initiative to enshrine collective bargaining as a right in the state Constitution." That would be mistake. That's not the sort of thing that ought to be protected by the Constitution." Here we see a hint of panic in the minds of the oppressors. If the people rise up and become alert to the dangers in Snyder's massive "shift and shaft" from Republicans gone rogue, and if they can mount a political counter-punch, then the top-down game-plan will change. There are measures that can and will be taken to forestall and suppress the mega-harm this novice governor has rolled over into. Snyder is no longer welcome many places and as his EFM's fan out and begin their "corporate cannibalization " of locally controlled governmental units; Tricky Rick may find himself walled up in his castle-like digs in Ann Arbor, unable to go and come without being confronted with hisses and jeers.
8. "There's no reason for unions or local communities to feel threatened by the emergency financial manager law." We expect that communities will have to comply. "make the hard choices necessary to avoid insolvency" "they'll avoid the financial manager as well. "
This News/Mackinac Center editorial is a great and near classic piece of disinformation and propaganda.
"Just stay calm." We, who are now well in the advantage, need for you to go about your business of everyday life and let us do what we want. WE IN BIG GOVERNMENT HERE AT LANSING HAVE CHOSEN OUR WINNERS. YOU, THE LOSERS MUST BE GOOD SPORTS AND TAKE DEFEAT(S) WITH HUMBLE RECOGNITION: TO THE WINNERS GO THE SPOILS.
There is one caveat, one moment of truth: Laura Berman points it out 3.22.11, "The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group in Washington, D.C., ranks Michigan's business climate 17th in the nation, better than Ohio (46th), Illinois (23rd), Arizona (34th), Wisconsin (40th) or indeed any of its neighbors, but Indiana (10th)."
One has to seriously question: "Just giving $1.8 billion to business brings on insurance that things will improve for the state's budget woes."
"The governor is betting that a proposed $1.7 billion in business tax breaks ("faith-based economics" is what some call it) will right Michigan's sinking fortunes by taxing pensions, cutting state aid to municipalities and putting pressure on public worker benefits."
This novice governor may be dead wrong. What then? Winners may become the biggest losers. Taking $1.8 billion out of the current economic "return-on-the-dollar spent in the local economy pass-around cycle" is a gigantic gamble. Adding $1.7 of it to business, as a reward, does not mean a better economy. It does mean a "fat gift" of short-lived profit for business.
Business may actually be the new "losers"!
Original Post.
Showing posts with label Collective Bargaining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collective Bargaining. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Power-grabbing House Bill 4214: Who wrote this unbelievably revisionist & voter disenfranchising bill?
This bill is set to be rammed through the legislature at break neck speed. The new "Local Government and School District Accountability Act" in essence is radical, if not a fanatical bill. If it should become law, in its present form, the bill would "disenfranchise" certain communities, the majority being struggling minority-majority locations.
Under the unbelievably rugged provisions, many black/ethic voters would see their votes cast summarily voided, and local elected officials would be ejected from local control (disregarding the ballot box results) and excluded from public office for a long period of years.
This kind of legislation is set to be fast-tracked through to a floor vote, posthaste.
The impact on public employees, local elected government leaders, police and firefighters, teachers and other public servants would be harsh and overly severe.
Many people of color will be directly and adversely affected by such a legislative act. To remove the right to vote and void the power of the ballot box; destroying one's right to elect public officers it disenfranchises communities and reverses the intent of the voter rights struggle of the recent past.
The Law, if enacted, would:
1.) List 18 explicit events that would trigger a financial review by the state
2.) Include the director of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget on the four-member review team (replacing the auditor general), and allow the governor to appoint more members to the team.
3.) Make explicit the differences between the municipal government and the school district review and intervention processes
4.) Set in place 12 review criteria
5.) Allow the governmental unit or school to be run by a "firm" rather than an "individual"
6.) Allow the Governor, after declaring a financial state of emergency, to "allow for appointment of emergency financial managers by the state treasurer or state school superintendent"
7.) Allow the state treasurer and state school superintendent to declare that a local government is in receivership, as they appoint an emergency financial manager
8.) Specifies that an emergency manager would be chosen on the basis of competence; need not be a resident of the local government; may be an individual or firm; and would serve at the pleasure of the state treasurer, with the concurrence of the state school superintendent
9.) Explicitly identify an emergency financial manager's extensive power and authority by listing 32 actions a manager may take, 16 of which are new
10.) Bust the unions - " Grant an appointed emergency financial manager the authority to abrogate existing labor contracts..."
11.) Remove local elected officials from office in financially distressed governments in receivership, and prohibit them from seeking office for 10 years
12.) Provide an explicit exit strategy to enable formerly struggling local governments to emerge from financial emergency status during which time local officials are prohibited from revising the emergency manager's two-year budget, labor contracts, or ordinances
13.) Suspend collective bargaining for up to five years in local governments placed in Receivership
Background:
Seven Michigan communities have had emergency financial managers appointed under Public Act 72 of 1990: Hamtramck (in 2000); Highland Park (in 2001); Flint (in 2002); Village of Three Oaks (in 2008); Ecorse (in 2009); Pontiac (in 2009); and Benton Harbor (in 2010). Additionally, a financial manager was appointed for the Detroit Public School District in 2009.
Definitions. Under the bill, the term "municipal government" is defined to mean a city, village, township, charter township, county, an authority established by law, or a public utility owned by a city, village, township or county.
The term "school district" is defined to mean a school district, an intermediate school district, or a public school academy (customarily called a charter school.) The term "state financial authority" is defined to mean (1) for a municipal government, the state treasurer, (2) for a school district, the superintendent of public instruction.
A long technical list of conditions is spelled out. Among them the item that requires the unit that is designated as in "financial emergency" to foot the bill: Employ at the expense of the local government and with approval of the state treasurer or state school superintendent, auditors and other technical personnel. Further these state appointed firms, auditors, or technical personnel are to have the power to liquidate the assets of the school or municipal unit: Power to sell, lease, or otherwise use the unit(s) public assets.
This bill goes far down the path of state dictatorial power over local government. Who wrote this terrible legislation and what was their authentic intent or must we guess?
Original Post.
Under the unbelievably rugged provisions, many black/ethic voters would see their votes cast summarily voided, and local elected officials would be ejected from local control (disregarding the ballot box results) and excluded from public office for a long period of years.
This kind of legislation is set to be fast-tracked through to a floor vote, posthaste.
The impact on public employees, local elected government leaders, police and firefighters, teachers and other public servants would be harsh and overly severe.
Many people of color will be directly and adversely affected by such a legislative act. To remove the right to vote and void the power of the ballot box; destroying one's right to elect public officers it disenfranchises communities and reverses the intent of the voter rights struggle of the recent past.
The Law, if enacted, would:
1.) List 18 explicit events that would trigger a financial review by the state
2.) Include the director of the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget on the four-member review team (replacing the auditor general), and allow the governor to appoint more members to the team.
3.) Make explicit the differences between the municipal government and the school district review and intervention processes
4.) Set in place 12 review criteria
5.) Allow the governmental unit or school to be run by a "firm" rather than an "individual"
6.) Allow the Governor, after declaring a financial state of emergency, to "allow for appointment of emergency financial managers by the state treasurer or state school superintendent"
7.) Allow the state treasurer and state school superintendent to declare that a local government is in receivership, as they appoint an emergency financial manager
8.) Specifies that an emergency manager would be chosen on the basis of competence; need not be a resident of the local government; may be an individual or firm; and would serve at the pleasure of the state treasurer, with the concurrence of the state school superintendent
9.) Explicitly identify an emergency financial manager's extensive power and authority by listing 32 actions a manager may take, 16 of which are new
10.) Bust the unions - " Grant an appointed emergency financial manager the authority to abrogate existing labor contracts..."
11.) Remove local elected officials from office in financially distressed governments in receivership, and prohibit them from seeking office for 10 years
12.) Provide an explicit exit strategy to enable formerly struggling local governments to emerge from financial emergency status during which time local officials are prohibited from revising the emergency manager's two-year budget, labor contracts, or ordinances
13.) Suspend collective bargaining for up to five years in local governments placed in Receivership
Background:
Seven Michigan communities have had emergency financial managers appointed under Public Act 72 of 1990: Hamtramck (in 2000); Highland Park (in 2001); Flint (in 2002); Village of Three Oaks (in 2008); Ecorse (in 2009); Pontiac (in 2009); and Benton Harbor (in 2010). Additionally, a financial manager was appointed for the Detroit Public School District in 2009.
Definitions. Under the bill, the term "municipal government" is defined to mean a city, village, township, charter township, county, an authority established by law, or a public utility owned by a city, village, township or county.
The term "school district" is defined to mean a school district, an intermediate school district, or a public school academy (customarily called a charter school.) The term "state financial authority" is defined to mean (1) for a municipal government, the state treasurer, (2) for a school district, the superintendent of public instruction.
A long technical list of conditions is spelled out. Among them the item that requires the unit that is designated as in "financial emergency" to foot the bill: Employ at the expense of the local government and with approval of the state treasurer or state school superintendent, auditors and other technical personnel. Further these state appointed firms, auditors, or technical personnel are to have the power to liquidate the assets of the school or municipal unit: Power to sell, lease, or otherwise use the unit(s) public assets.
This bill goes far down the path of state dictatorial power over local government. Who wrote this terrible legislation and what was their authentic intent or must we guess?
Original Post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)