When union families win, we ALL win
The Protect Our Jobs ballot proposal has gathered enough petition signatures to be placed on the November ballot and awaits approval by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers. The measure will enshrine collective bargaining rights in the state Constitution, ensuring that anti-Labor forces won’t be able to deny Michigan workers their legal right to bargain for better wages and benefits.
The organizers of the effort have shifted their emphasis from “Protect Our Jobs” to “Protect Working Families”, a more descriptive title for what they are trying to accomplish.
During the annual convention of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) last week, thousands of AFT members received training on protecting collective bargaining rights around the country. Then around 500 of them spread out across metro Detroit to canvass neighborhoods, rallying support for the ballot initiative. Even AFT president Randi Weingarten and Michigan AFT President David Hecker carried clipboards and spoke to residents.
Randi Weingarten & David Hecker speak with a metro Detroit resident
One resident is quoted as saying, “Our neighborhood is the heart and soul of the middle class. I was honored to have the president of the AFT stop by and ask for my support. To keep our economy growing we need to vote for this amendment.”
Your support for this amendment is vitally important. Just this week we learn that Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is fighting against it on behalf of the Snyder administration, falsely labeling the effort “too sweeping and complicated” for the 100-word description required on the petitions. He is urging the Board of State Canvasser to NOT certify the petitions which contain the signatures of close to 700,000 Michigan citizens. It’s yet another effort by the anti-labor, pro-business lawmakers in Michigan to silence and disenfranchise those they oppose.
If you’d like to get involved in this important effort, go to the Protect Working Families website HERE to find out what you can do to ensure collective bargaining rights are protected in Michigan into the future.
Be sure to put a “Like” on their Facebook page HERE.
