AFSCME COUNCIL 25 MEMBER LEADER UPDATE November 2018
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AFSCME COUNCIL 25 MEMBER LEADER UPDATE November 2018 How did your State Rep and State Senator stand with AFSCME members on our issues in the 2017-2018 legislative session? Check out the handy chart here to see which legislators stand with working people, and which ones work against them. It is also available online at the Council 25 website here. AFSCME WINS BIG IN 2018 MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN MICHIGAN ELECTED a pro-worker Governor in Gretchen Whitmer • 55% VOTER TURNOUT- the highest Michigan has RE-ELECTED a pro-worker Senator in had in a midterm Debbie Stabenow election since 1992 • 2019 will be the first time Democrats held all ELECTED Dana Nessel as Attorney General, three statewide offices Jocelyn Benson as Secretary of State, and since the 1980s Megan Cavanagh to the Supreme Court who defeated a Snyder appointee. • 2018 was the first time one party flipped all FLIPPED two Congressional seats and statewide offices elected pro-labor women to Congress with (Governor, Attorney Haley Stevens and Elissa Slotkin General, and Secretary of State) in one election PICKED UP a net gain of five State Senate since 1938 seats with pro-worker candidates • All eight candidates endorsed by the Labor Caucus for State Board of PICKED UP a net gain of five State House Education and University seats with pro-worker candidates Boards at Michigan, Michigan State, and Wayne State won their AFSCME WON 118 OUT OF 174 RACES WE elections. A perfect 8-0! ENDORSED IN, PLUS PASSED THREE PROGRESSIVE BALLOT INITIATIVES THAT ARE PRO-WORKER AND PRO-DEMOCRACY MAJOR THREATS LOOM FOR WORKING FAMILIES IN LAME DUCK SESSION THREAT TO UNION LEAVE TIME Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy), a Senator that AFSCME THREAT TO MINIMUM WAGE endorsed candidate Mallory McMorrow defeated on Eleciton Day, introduced SB 796 that would prohibit union leave INCREASE AND PAID SICK provisions in collective bargaining agreements. It was reported on a party line vote to the full Senate but has LEAVE GUARANTEE languished there for some time. Last summer, hundreds of thousands of petition signatures were submitted to put proposals on the ballot Also reported to the Senate floor with SB 795 (also to increase Michigan’s minimum wage to $12 an hour introduced by Sen. Knollenberg), which would prohibit and eliminate the carve out that put tipped workers at a retirement credits for school employees on union leave, the lower wage, along with another proposal that would intent of the legislation is to discourage union members from guarantee paid sick time for all Michigan workers. Rather having a voice in the workplace. than place these wildly popular proposals on the ballot, the legislature chose to adopt them. rd This is the 3 time Sen. Knollenberg has attempted to reach this goal. It is critical that AFSCME members and their Now, the same legislature who just adopted these employers demand that the Legislature stop interfering with proposals is seeking to actively undermine them. Sen. the collective bargaining process and labor-management Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) introduced a bill that would efforts to maintain good relationships. eliminate the increase for tipped workers that flies in the face of that initiative. The Senate Education Committee reported both bills to the th full Senate on March 14 on a party line vote. The bill has SB 1175, introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake), not been considered by the full Senate (a good sign) but eliminates several provisions related to presumptions could be taken up at any time. against employers contained in the law. It also reduces the requirement of retaining records documenting hours While the inaction by the Senate is encouraging, there is a worked and earned sick time taken by employees from legitimate fear that the Legislature could act on this and three years to six months. other anti-labor legislation during lame duck. Several employers have joined us in opposition to the union Democrats have urged the Legislature not to attempt leave bills. Please contact your employer and ask the other making any changes, while some have questioned the locals in your region to contact their employers (many of legality of doing so during lame-duck session, citing a whom have expressed opposition to the bill as it would 1964 attorney general opinion that declares an initiative hamper employer-employee relations) and gather letters in petition enacted by the Legislature cannot be amended opposition to show that our position is supported by until the next legislative session. Attorney general management as well as labor. Steve Rzeppa has prepared a opinions can be overturned by the courts. draft letter which is available from your staff rep. The more opposition we can generate the better. Both bills have been sent to the Senate Government Operations Committee, chaired by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive). YOUR AFSCME COUNCIL 25 EXECUTIVE BOARD President Lawrence A. Roehrig Secretary-Treasurer Robyn C. Price David Baker – Region 10 William McGlynn – Region 3 AFSCME Local 1327 AFSCME Local 1346 David Brandt – Region 9 Phyllis McMillon – Region 1 AFSCME Local 1855 AFSCME Local 542 Tracy Carlton – Region 6 Dennis Moore – Region 7 AFSCME Local 496 AFSCME Local 1668 Donna Cangemi – Region 3 Sam Muma – Region 6 AFSCME Local 411 AFSCME Local 1600 Lorna Davison – Region 2 Lois Murray – Region 3 AFSCME Local 1659 AFSCME Local 2172 Robyn C Price, Sec-Treas Dwayne Dolby – Region 11 Tammy Porter- Region 8 AFSCME Local 885 AFSCME Local 261 Caryette Fenner – Region 4 Ronald Rook – Region 4 AFSCME Local 2733 AFSCME Local 1583 Brent Hershberger – Region 6 Cindy Spurlock – Region 2 AFSCME Local 1421 AFSCME Local 2568 Keith Hunter – Region 2 Christopher Wayne– Region 5 AFSCME Local 1786 AFSCME Local 1585 Milando Hunter – Region 6 Janae Wouldfolk – Region 1 AFSCME Local 1918 AFSCME Local 140 Shawn Kitto – Region 11 AFSCME Local 992.7 Have you received your hard copy of the AFSCME Council 25 Fall 2018 Newsletter? If not, contact your staff rep or the Council 25 office to make sure your address on file is up to date! In the meantime, you can access the newsletter online at the new website by clicking here. .