LEOunion.org

While I have been trying to limit my messages about the ongoing political events, what happened Wednesday in Lansing is so dramatic that I feel obliged to share some more info with you. The proposed legislation that has the biggest impact on us is contained in Senate Bill 7 and Senate Joint Resolution C.

Senate Bill 7 (Jansen, R-Gaines Township) would create the "Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act" to require that all public employers pay no more than 80% of the overall cost of purchasing health insurance. This bill includes public school districts, public school academies, or intermediate school districts; community colleges or junior colleges; and public institutions of higher education, state, city, village, township, county, intergovernmental, metropolitan, local department, agency, authority, or other local political subdivision. Beginning January 1, 2012, the bill would require that public employers pay not more than 80.0% of the total costs of medical benefit plans.

Senate Joint Resolution C (Jansen, R-Gaines Township) would put to a vote of the people an amendment to the State Constitution requiring employees of public universities to conform to the 80% cost allocation requirements established by Senate Bill 7. This proposed constitutional amendment would require a 2/3 vote of the House and Senate to be placed on the ballot.

Both Senate Bill 7 and Senate Joint Resolution C were approved by the Senate Committee on Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing on April 13 and were approved by the full Senate today, May 18. Senator Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) offered an amendment to tie bar a lifetime ban on healthcare for legislators to SB7 but it was defeated with all the Republicans voting NO. More information about SB 7/SJR C can be found on the AFT Michigan web site.

What should scare us the most is Resolution C. While the University of MIchigan has already moved to this 80/20% split in benefits,  Resolution C opens the door for classifying us as state employees in other areas. And look at what the Legislature did yesterday regarding the bargaining rights of public employees.

HB 4627 gives principals the authority to place teachers, prohibits the use of seniority in the reduction of staff, and requires teachers be "effective."

HB 4628 would make the following prohibited subjects of bargaining:

• The placement of teachers;
• Personnel decisions of all employees;
• Elimination of positions, recall & hiring after a reduction;
• Evaluation systems;
• Discharge and discipline;
• Number of observations or format of classroom observations;
• Method of compensation and performance based compensation.

Combined with Resolution C, these two House bills would gut our collective bargaining agreement.

Once again, I ask you to call or email your legislators and express your concerns over this legislation. Go to the Rally in Lansing on Saturday May 21 at 4:00 pm. If you are concerned about the erosion of your collective bargaining rights, now is the time to act. A phone call or email will only take 10 minutes of your time. Send me an email and let me know what step you've taken.

Bonnie Halloran
LEO President
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