Tag: Prop 2 (page 2)

New TV Ad: Local Teachers Union Contract Reveals Proposal 2 Hurts Michigan Kids

 Protecting Michigan Taxpayers, a broad-based coalition working to educate parents and voters about the dangerous effects Proposal 2 would have on students, parents and taxpayers today released a new statewide television commercial titled "Hurts," highlighting dangerous provisions in Michigan teachers union contracts that the Michigan Education Association (MEA) says would go into effect upon passage of Proposal 2.

"According to a leaked memo from the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, Proposal 2 would overturn common sense state laws that help keep our kids safe at school," said Jared Rodriguez, Spokesman for Protecting Michigan Taxpayers.  "And the local teachers union contract in Bay City says that Proposal 2 would give five strikes to teachers under the influence of alcohol at school, three strikes to teachers under the influence of drugs in the classroom and two strikes to teachers caught selling drugs at school.  The MEA is right that Proposal 2 will overturn school reform laws - unfortunately it will hurt Michigan kids!"

According to Proposal 2's own language, under the proposal Michigan parents, voters and lawmakers would be permanently prohibited from "limit(ing) the right to collectively bargain for wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment." The MEA and the teachers union contract in Bay City claim this language would overturn common sense legal restrictions that prevent teachers caught under the influence of drugs and alcohol from remaining in the classroom.

Studies also indicate Proposal 2 would cost families at least $1.6 billion tax dollars a year.

"Hurts" can also be viewed online at http://youtu.be/8Ke-QTNvUMY.

Organizations from across the state are working together to defeat Proposal 2 including organizations representing school boards, school principals, school superintendents, the Michigan Sheriff's Association, small business groups, chambers of commerce and taxpayer organizations.

High-dollar political donors associated with Michigan's labor movement are encouraged and instructed on how to hide limitless, undisclosed campaign contributions in secret slush funds, according to a leaked letter and PowerPoint presentation being distributed by Andrew Nickelhoff, the union lawyer behind Proposal 2 and 4.

The leaked private letter and PowerPoint stands in stark contrast to hypocritical public statements from supporters of Proposal 2, Nickelhoff's employers, who have insincerely and hypocritically called other organizations "shadowy."

"The scheme by Proposal 2 and 4's attorney to solicit secret, undisclosed campaign contributions is another example of Prop 2 supporter's continuing pattern of deception and hypocisy," said Nick De Leeuw, Spokesman for Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution.  "Nickelhoff infamously told voters they'd simply have to "guess" what his deceptive ballot proposal would do; now he is caught instructing donors how to hide their contributions."

In a letter dated May 9 and distributed to potential donors, Nickelhoff solicited and outlined in detail how high-dollar donors could contribute potentially millions of dollars to a secret slush fund without ever disclosing their identity.

There are real consequences that can happen as a result of this misguided Union takeover venture (PROP 2) of our constitution.

Attorney General Bill Schuette on Thursday raised concerns about the devastating impact Proposal 2 would have on the safety of children in Michigan's public schools.  His remarks come on the heels of new and misleading ads falsely claiming that Proposal 2 would not impact the safety of Michigan's schools and classrooms.  Schuette was joined by Midland County Sheriff Jerry Nielsen and Eaton County Sheriff Mike Raines. Schuette said:

"The fact is and the truth is, Proposal 2 will undermine 170 laws, including critical measures intended to keep children safe in our schools. A huge concern for parents is preserving the safety of their children both to and from school, and in the classroom.  The legislature passed laws which provide safety tools like background checks to detect criminal records and drug or alcohol abuse before prospective employees set foot inside a school.

Proposal 2 would prohibit commonsense disciplinary policies for school employees and threaten state safety standards for school buses, both which makes the job of law enforcement more difficult.  Parents want safe streets on the way to school and safe hallways and safe classrooms.  Cops and sheriffs are on the front lines of safety.  Proposal 2 simply ties the hands of law enforcement and endangers the safety of Michigan's school children."

According to Proposal 2's own language, Michigan parents, voters and lawmakers would be permanently prohibited from "limit(ing) the right to collectively bargain for wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment."  Schuette noted the broad language of the proposal would allow collective bargaining agreements to override laws like Public Act 103 of 2011, which prohibits collective bargaining over teacher discipline policies to keep kids safe from teachers who abuse drugs and alcohol, and Public 187 of 1990, which establishes minimum training and continuing education requirements for people operating school buses.

Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution (CPMC), released the television commercial, titled "Michigan Kids Don't Need Teacher Strikes," educating voters about the deceptive, far-reaching and devastating effects Proposal 2 would have on parents and students across Michigan.

LOVE the intensity and planet-of-the-apes style of music used for the score.

The commercial asks parents to vote NO on Proposal 2 to avoid Chicago-style teacher strikes, a possibility under the misleading proposal according to a leaked teachers union memo and Michigan Education Association (MEA) President Steven Cook who recently admitted Prop 2 "would overturn" a 1994 law created to prevent teachers unions from bullying local school districts at the bargaining table into ignoring, vetoing or erasing legal fines and penalties incurred as a result of an illegal teacher strike.

From Lansing, we are hearing that Chicago-style teacher strikes could be heading to local school districts across Michigan if union leaders behind the deceptive Proposal 2 successfully hijack Michigan's constitution this November.  According to a leaked internal memo from the state's largest teachers union, the Michigan Education Association (MEA), passage of Proposal 2 would overturn the Michigan law that creates penalties for striking teachers, paving the way for Chicago-style teacher strikes in Michigan school districts.

Teachers in Chicago yesterday walked out of their classrooms after rejecting a 16 percent pay increase, outraging parents and kicking nearly 400,000 students out of their schools and onto the streets.

While teacher strikes are technically "illegal" in Michigan, Michigan's Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) establishes the only legal penalty for teachers who walk out on their classrooms; a fine equal to one day's pay for each school day spent on strike.

In 1994 the Michigan legislature enacted Public Act 112 which amended the Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) to prohibit union bosses from removing these penalties for striking teachers during labor negotiations.

According to a leaked internal memo from the MEA (linked above), 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."