UNION BUSTING Legislation - TAKE ACTION!!!

There are two bills that are of utmost importance set to be considered in the coming days in our Michigan House legislature.  Both bills passed the Senate prior to Thanksgiving.  Passage in the House, barring major changes from the Senate version, would mean they would quickly be forwarded to the governor for signing and into the law books.

These bills are UNION busting.  That’s all there is to it.  Read more!

Bill SB 280 would make it illegal to do any union work during work release time.  Those of you who have presidents that have some release time or perhaps are full time release will LOSE that representation.  All the work they do would have to be done AFTER hours.  But it is NOT just directed at presidents with release time!

Bill SB 280 would prohibit ANY kind of release time during work hours.  For instance;

·        District Talent Initiative

·        Professional Learning Communities

·        Professional Development and Design/Planning Committee

·        District Leadership Team

·        Teacher Evaluation-District Implementation Team

·        Quality Instructional Coaches Advisor Committee

·        High School Restructuring Steering Team

·        New Teacher Induction (professional development/mentors)

·        District Curriculum Participant

·        Bargaining and Grievances

ALL of these activities would always have to be done outside of school hours.  They are NOT political.  This is work that involves human resources, giving voice to educational workers in the decision making, and sharing our expertise.   Clearly, all are ways to deny employee voices!

 Bill SB 279 takes the prohibition even further.  It says that even if the union or individual reimburses MPSERS (the Michigan Retirement System & made mandatory this summer by the MPSERS Board), the person being released can ear NO CREDIT toward retirement.    So, people who are working in release time positions, or even those who might spend some days bargaining or any of the activities above, can earn nothing toward their retirement.   This is kind of like “hammering the nail” into the other bill, SB280.  How can people give up time toward retirement?  They can’t.

 Please CLICK below and follow the link the MEA’s LEGISLATIVE ACTION Center. 

When you click on the link it takes you to a HOUSE/SENATE page.  Do the following!

**Enter your zip code and it will give you the names of your House and Senate representatives.

***Click on the HOUSE representative in your area to contact; their page will pop up.

***Click on “Contact”, and you will have the choice to use their office telephone or a FORM to fill out that you can email from the site!

CLICK HERE!

Tell them this (copy and paste if you like): 

Vote against SB280 and SB279.  They deny local school districts the ability to determine how to best involve their unions in the important activities that must be completed.  This isn’t political work being done.  This time is spent on important activities like evaluation, leadership, employee mentoring, professional learning communities, professional development, district curriculum, etc.    To vote for these bills is denying employees the ability to make service to students BETTER!