As a response to frequent illegal teacher strikes in Michigan districts where union officials successfully forced local districts to avoid imposing legal fines and penalties, the Michigan legislature enacted Public Act 112 in 1994, which amended PERA to prohibit union bosses from removing these penalties for striking teachers during labor negotiations.

Responding to a media question about Proposal 2's effect on Public Act 112 of 1994, Cook admitted: "At any point you find the legislature where they have stepped in and said `you can no longer discuss these issues at the bargaining table,' (Proposal 2) would overturn that."

Cook's admission comes shortly after the leak of an internal memo from the MEA's legal department claiming that  passage of Proposal 2 would overturn Public Act 112 and change PERA, paving the way for the return of Chicago-style teacher strikes in Michigan school districts.

According to the MEA's leaked internal legal memo (see attachment), upon passage of Proposal 2: "The prohibited bargaining topics created by 1994 PA 112 and included in Section 15(3) of PERA would NO LONGER exist (including)... Any compensation or additional work assignment intended to reimburse an employee for or to allow an employee to recover any monetary penalty imposed under PERA."

"Our kids deserve teachers in the classroom, not on the picket line, but the MEA's President and internal legal documents admit that is exactly the kind of Chicago-style crisis Proposal 2 could unleash in Michigan," said Nick De Leeuw, spokesman for Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution.  "The President of the MEA has admitted publicly what his legal department has been bragging about for months behind closed doors, that Proposal 2 will give unions veto power over strike penalties.  Parents and taxpayers can't afford Proposal 2 and our kids deserve better than Chicago-style teacher strikes in Michigan."