UPDATE: While union protesters were focused on the proposed repeal of PA 312, the Republic legislators passed a new law that allows Emergency Financial Managers new powers to seize and run school districts and municipalities. (
Hundreds of firefighters and police officers showed up at the state Capitol in Lansing to protest Rep. Joe Haveman‘s (R-Holland) bill 4205. The proposed law would repeal Public Act 312, which has given workers the right to binding arbitration since 1969. Binding arbitration is an essential element in collective bargaining for unionized public employees, since they do not have the right to strike.
I talked with protesters about why they are outraged at what they are calling an assault on worker rights. This is the second day union workers have protested at the state Capitol in Lansing, and there appeared to be more protesters today than there were yesterday.
[...] . . . Police and Firefighters fight to keep Binding-Arbitration rules intact [...]