Union members flood Capitol, accuse Snyder of taking from the poor to give to the rich
Speaking to thousands of union members from the steps of the Capitol today, UAW President Bob King put Gov. Rick Snyder's budget and tax proposal in stark terms, asserting that it's designed to take money out of the pockets of those with low wages and fixed income in order to distribute it to "wealthy" business owners.
"This governor and this Republican Party want to take almost $2 billion more off of working people in Michigan and who does he want to give it to?" King yelled. "The wealthy, the corporations."
Rick Snyder
King called Snyder's efforts part of what he called a broad Republican "attack on the middle class."
Snyder's $1.7 billion tax cut proposal would be financed in part by imposing the state income tax on public and private pensions. King said pensioners are having a hard time surviving as it is. Replacing the Michigan Business Tax with a profits tax on corporations would exempt about 95,000 Michigan firms from paying business tax.
As the rally took a break, hundreds of union members marched through the Capitol hallways shouting "recall Rick." It was the second straight day of protests in Lansing. On Tuesday, senior citizens spoke out about Snyder's plan to tax pensions. In Ann Arbor Tuesday, about 150 people protested the governor's budget plans.
While Snyder says he's opposed to right-to-work laws or getting rid of prevailing wage rules, unions complain that financial emergency legislation gives state-appointed fiscal managers broad powers to terminate labor agreements and other contracts, force service consolidation at the local level or even engineer the merger of whole communities.
Sen. John Pappageorge, R-Troy, said the legislation would encourage local governments and their unions to resolve financial issues before an emergency financial manager would be even needed.
"The idea was to put things in place that would make it less likely that a bankruptcy would occur," he said.
Snyder's budget seeks what could be $360 million in wage concessions from state employees with half the savings coming from requiring a minimum 20 percent employee contribution toward health insurance costs.
Senate Republicans began hearings Wednesday on a proposal that would apply that standard to local units of government, universities and local school districts. A Senate Fiscal Agency analysis said the measure would save $543 million.
Rick Hammel, D-Flushing Twp., said public employees have "given back hundreds of millions of dollars all over this state every time they've been asked. I would prefer that was negotiated as opposed to legislated."
Comments
jcj
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 11:43 a.m.
@ David Briegel You are quick to criticize some with ties to China. Here's your chance to do some more criticizing. Sen. Reid and Obama donors back company ( from China)seeking $450 million in U.S. money Top Democratic fundraisers and lobbyists with links to the White House are behind a proposed wind farm in Texas that stands to get $450 million in stimulus money, even though a Chinese company would operate the farm and its turbines would be built in China. <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40565987/ns/business-going_green/" rel='nofollow'>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40565987/ns/business-going_green/</a> It will be interesting to see how you spin or dodge this article!
JoeNuke
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 1:52 a.m.
This is from the same King whose UAW was taking money from hardworking low wage self employed home daycare providers to fund union coffers and lobbying efforts. Did union arrogance cause the backlash? When did they lose sight of their members best interests when striving for union power?
hypsi
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 11:12 p.m.
Playing Devil's advocate here...just wondering what people think of this: Michigan is training 175 EFMs and there are 170 places on the Michigan Eligible Distressed Areas, including Ann Arbor: <a href="http://www.michigan.gov/mshda/0,1607,7-141--181277--,00.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michigan.gov/mshda/0,1607,7-141--181277--,00.html</a> The EFMS are also capped at 170,000 a year for salaries, IF all 175 EFMS are in place that's equal to 29 million dollars, not including training, etc... Thoughts?
Garrett
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 3:43 p.m.
To all you anti-union people living a middle-class lifestyle.... To everyone that has a weekend where they don't have to work.... To everyone that can call in sick for a day and not get fired... To everyone that doesn't have to work 60+ hours a week for peanuts... To everyone that doesn't have to live in a slum... To everyone that works in a job with safety standards... To anyone with employer-sponsored health insurance... on behalf of unions I'd like to say, "You're welcome."
jcj
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 3:58 p.m.
Sounds like a huge government welfare program! But at least the unions negotiated these instead of it being handed to them by politicians looking for votes.
Garrett
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 3:51 p.m.
Oh, and let's not forget: An end to child labor 8 hour work day Paid Overtime Workers compensation Unemployment insurance Paid sick leave, vacations, and holidays Pensions or 401Ks for many workers Civil Right Acts and Title VII which outlaws job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin Occupational Safety and Health Act Family Medical Leave Act Push for livable minimum wage If you are against unions and you're middle-class you are working against your own interest. But don't worry you'll ultimately benefit from the work we do (just like you already have).
Grace York
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 3:11 p.m.
Gov. Snyder may be technically brilliant but the governed are humans and not computers. He launched his budget without warning, seems to refuse any dialog, and characterizes people who have genuine concerns as selfish. My way or the highway. As he said himself, he is a nerd. I think many people are willing to discuss the options (e.g. partial tax of pensions or reviving the sales tax on services, or reforming the Michigan Business Tax less extensively in exchange for school funding). The House Republicans are willing to discuss alternatives. If they are successful, they may be able to save the governor's job. He may be able to save it himself if he changes his approach. If not, there is always recall as a last ditch effort.
DaLast word
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 2:52 p.m.
@kinks If you believe that YOU exist purely because of the unions, I feel sorry for you, perhaps you should have finished highschool.
T. Kinks
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.
The article states it was the 2nd straight day of protests but the protests have been going on last week as well & hopefully will not stop until Snyder changes his slash & burn budget ideas. I don't know why there is so much union bashing on here. You benefit from unions even if you are not in one. If you get a lunch break, health care, overtime pay, or even just a pay check you can thank the UNIONS. I was @ the rally yesterday & plan on going again. POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
DaLast word
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.
I have NO problem with the skilled trades earning a good wage, I, the tax payer don't have to pay that. We have all see the times when 4 or 5 suppervsors are standing around, watching 1 guy dig a ditch, or as I witnessed last year on Main street, 3 guys standing and watching a 4th water the flowers. This simply isn't acceptable anymore.
DaLast word
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:43 p.m.
I say it's the unions that are assulting the middle class. They are trying to shape the debate to favor their deep unions pockets. The unions are the minority here and it's the hard working folks of this state that are linning the union bosses pockets along with the money they send to Washington to further their aggenda. Simply put, the unions are the problem here and this has been brewing for a long, long time.
schlomo
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:14 p.m.
Have you noticed that the first person making a comment, DFSmith at 2:39 am , manipulated the tone of the comments thst follow. Who is insighting the hate rhetoric? Think of Snyder as the CEO of Michigan. How do you make profits? Cut the wages of the workers. Unions have existed to protect unfair labor practicrs.
Dan Rubenstein
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 12:30 p.m.
Marshall and DonBee, Hitler had his policies voted on, too. So what? Real democracy protects everyone's rights and is based on due process, not the simple will of the majority. See Mill. I, and I pray most people, cannot endorse your undemocratic core beliefs. Incompetent or corrupt government is reason for new elections or lawsuits, not dictatorship. Local governments are not departments who report to Rick Snyder who he can give performance reviews and fire at will. They are elected officials. If you don't get it, I'm just sad for you, and scared for us.
Dan Rubenstein
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 3:21 a.m.
Folks, let's not miss the larger picture. You may feel unions are overpaid, but unions have accepted lower wages, both in the private and public sector. Through negotiation. Why is it necessary to get rid of them. But beyond that, the emergency manager bill is fundamentally undemocratic. Do you want an appointed, unaccountable bureaucrat to be able to dismiss officials you elected and dissolve your local government? I don't think you do, I know I don't, and that's what's at stake here.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:20 a.m.
Come out and see what democratically elected folks did to Belle, CA. Or see what the IRS, FBI and others are saying about democratically elected officials in Detroit. Just because folks are elected does not make them great financial managers or honest.
Marshall Applewhite
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 4:47 a.m.
"But beyond that, the emergency manager bill is fundamentally undemocratic." Well, the bill was put in place by elected officials, so "undemocratic" isn't the correct term there. In fact, I like the speed at which the bureaucrat is able to reorganize things. If we did something like this in 2000 when the recession started, this state would be in a much better situation currently.
5c0++ H4d13y
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 2:13 a.m.
Representation without taxation. What value do you put on someone's opinion who has no skin in the game.
2cats
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:32 a.m.
Wow! As I read the comments tonight I am amazed at the negativity. Personally, I believe in unions, their history and what they stand for. I believe that the public sector employees deserve a living wage and the health benefits that go with it. I believe that a police office or fire fighter, who puts their life on the line daily to protect me and my family deserves an average salary of 75,000-80,000 . I believe teachers, who we entrust our children to on a daily basis, be given a living wage... I also believe that it is wrong for the Gov. to ask for the poor and elderly to make his budget only to give it away to the wealthy businesses. I read many comments made that are based on half truths vs facts. I am saddened to read so many comments from people that probably live in my same community, who want to blame groups of people without seeming to understand exactly what they are saying...
Marshall Applewhite
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 4:40 a.m.
I don't have a problem paying police and firefighters $75k, but in that situation they must pay for their own retirement. With three months of vacation and compensation totaling over $100k yearly, teachers are already very well paid.
aataxpayer
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 2:50 a.m.
We really can't afford paying police officers 75-80K salary and lifetime pension and medical benefits after only 20 years of service.
Matrix
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 12:57 a.m.
The unions, democrats, republicans, Rick Snyder, and Michiganders should go after the banks that have stolen trillions (around $28 trillion as of 2010) rather than fighting with each other over crumbs. Default on the debt created by the ponzi scheme and start over. Like Iceland.
Jay Thomas
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 12:21 a.m.
It's the other way around in reality: union members get their paychecks from people who usually make less than them... and not the rich.
sh1
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 11 p.m.
Macabre, where do you get your information about unions? Senior union members often take cuts to prevent lay-offs of younger staff (as AA teachers did in their last contract). And taking from the poor to give to the rich would describe what Snyder's doing by getting rid of the Earned Income Tax Credit in order to pay for the business tax cuts, not what unions do.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:17 a.m.
Cuts they were advised they would get most of back because of the Civil Service Commission. And a contract rider that promised them most of the upside of any new funds coming into the school. Hence the fund raising by the teacher's unions for the Special Ed millage.
leaguebus
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 9:01 p.m.
Bizarro Robin Hood = Rick Snyder for all you comic lovers. The problem with dismantling our Educational system dollar by dollar is that without educated workers, no big corporation is going to move here. We actually should be adding more money to education. What have we lost in the last 20 years of cuts to education? A lot of really good high school technical programs like Robotics in Pinckney have gone down the drain because of lack of funding. Keep cutting the education funds and we will become a third rate state, we are already second rate. I am a little fuzzy about the referendum on Unions in the last election? I don't remember seeing anything about Unions on the ballot or hearing Rick talk about busting the Unions. Rick and his governor compatriots from other states brought this up in their Jack-in-the-Box like list of surprises since being elected. I can guarantee you that campaigning on the Union Buster label would have lost him the election. I also suspect that the more he kicks the sleeping masses, the more surprises he will get. I can't wait until he and the Republican legislature start their war on women. Its great to feel Righteous after winning an election, with all the talk of mandates and such, but the voters are fickle and if you bang on their tails enough will bite back.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:16 a.m.
Funny - I had 3 companies today looking to move from California to a lower cost area. When I explained what was going on with taxes in Michigan, all three Founders agreed to meet me in Michigan in 2 weeks. Costs are the first concern for business right now, talent is second. Michigan has a lot of talent and with better costs - people are interested
Marshall Applewhite
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 9:47 p.m.
We have plenty of educated workers in this state. The problem is that we have uneducated, entitled, union members being compensated 2-3 times what the average recent college grad is currently being offered(If they can even find a job). This is the type of destruction unions have done to the Michigan economy over the last 20-30 years. Now, I don't begrudge union members for making money. However, using a top down economic view, we should have seen long ago that this system isn't sustainable. We're now dealing with its effects.
braggslaw
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:29 p.m.
Unions are the single biggest negative factor in establishing a business in Michigan. The businesses are second. Rick is fixing those issues.
braggslaw
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:30 p.m.
meant to say business taxes....
AA
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:18 p.m.
All of these union people are so coddled, they really live in an alternate universe compared to everyone else in almost all occupations. They all receive overpriced perks and entitlements, and are spoiled beyond words. Yes, they contribute to society. But pound per pound, compared to the private sector, they are overpaid and over appreciated.
sh1
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 11:02 p.m.
Do tell about the perks and entitlements of the spoiled, coddled union workers. I may have missed something.
AACity12
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
Wouldn't autoworkers be consider private sector? I guess the Fed still owns part of GM but none the less not all union employees are public employees
Subroutine
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
As one of the "working poor" working full time and then some, paying on a house that is now valued far less than I payed for it, and earning less than what most would consider a "middle class" income, I'm a little annoyed that some union leader would claim to be looking out for me. Make no mistake, union leaders are looking out for themselves first, their unions second, and good luck to all the rest of us. The best interests of non-union workers or the state in general are not even on their radar.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:13 a.m.
And move the job out of state? I think most folks are happy to have work right now.
Dan Rubenstein
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 3:16 a.m.
Have you tried to unionize your workplace? I think unions would help you with that. Why don't you contact them and find out?
Atticus F.
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:24 p.m.
If you make overtime pay, you should be thanking the unions...They created the middle class.
Macabre Sunset
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:11 p.m.
Irony, thy name is Union Leader. Taking from the poor and giving to the rich: the very definition of how a union treats its younger members. And now they complain because we don't think it's fair to pay twice as much for your benefits while the cost of ours, worth half as much, is doubling.
David Briegel
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:30 p.m.
And you blame the working man instead of the thieving Wall St Banksters!
AA
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:09 p.m.
Public employees are over apreciated and grossly, yes grossly overpaid.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:12 a.m.
Micheal Moore? The same Micheal Moore who says that Cuban health care is better than US health care? The friend of Castro? Sounds like a person to follow, given the economic history of Cuba.
2cats
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 11:02 p.m.
<a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/letter-to-my-fellow-michiganders" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-friends-blog/letter-to-my-fellow-michiganders</a>
sh1
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 10:57 p.m.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.
2cats
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 10:44 p.m.
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/education/16teachers.html?partner=rss&emc=rss" rel='nofollow'>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/education/16teachers.html?partner=rss&emc=rss</a> New York Tims article: U.S. urged to raise teacher status
Speechless
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:56 p.m.
Cool! Great turnout today. Good article. Live video stream of rally in-progress: <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mmflint" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mmflint</a>
TC
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:26 p.m.
DF - I assume that you were also against the Republican opposition to health care reform. After all, the people spoke clearly by electing Obama. Palin and McCain weren't that close either, were they.
Mick52
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.
I have yet to hear any evidence that his union boss's statement is true. He says the Gov will give it to the wealthy and corporation owners. My understanding is that taxes will be adjusted, not transferred from one group to another. The taxes collected from those not paying their fair share is not going to go to the corporations. I idea is to make Michigan more attractive to corporations, to encourage expansion here rather than in any other state with lower business taxes. This should have been started at least four years ago, maybe longer than that, when it became apparent the auto industry was failing. Now almost all 50 states are in the same condition, and the competition is fierce. If I am wrong here, if the state is going to be paying large corporations with taxes taken from retirees, please post some info on that. I recall that is what we did with the movie industry, and that failed. I doubt Michigan would try that with any other type of business. Or if you opposed this idea, give us some examples of what should be done to fix Michigan's economy. I am not saying this will work, like I said, we are competing with at least 48 states, but what we have been doing has failed. Somehow Michigan has to draw employers and that may include union reform.
DonBee
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:10 a.m.
Sh1 - Partly true. He is eliminating a double tax on small business owners, at the same time he is closing hundreds of loopholes in corporate taxes on larger companies. So for Ford, GM and other large companies their taxes will rise. For a large number of small businesses they will no longer pay tax on their gross reciepts and then have to pay taxes on that same money when the owners pay themselves. Right now my neighbor pays about 10 percent of his roughly $35,000 in gross reciepts to the state of Michigan with this double tax. Rich? Hardly. After the state takes the first bite, then he can pay himself and pay his taxes all over again on the remainder.
sh1
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 10:56 p.m.
The $1.8 billion in taxes Michigan businesses would have paid are going to be cut, so he shifted the taxes to the poor, preschools, K-12s, and universities.
Cash
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
King Richard and his minions.....I cracked up when he issued a request for the protesters not to spend the night there. Bwahhaaa.....what's the matter King Richard, do you pull up the bridge over the moat at 9pm? Or do you have a golf game going at 5 and need the State Police to get you out of town fast?
Speechless
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
Warning: Should the impressive number of protesters not vacate by nightfall, Snyder may feel compelled to send in his Lieutenant Calley on a special operations mission inside the capitol. To Rick, it's a jungle in there!
DFSmith
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:05 p.m.
Very funny, Cash.
Cash
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 6:56 p.m.
Solidarity Forever, The Man might think that he is clever, But he sold the unions short, And his recall we support, The union makes us strong!
Yeah buddy
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
Wow, even better.
Monica R-W
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 5:43 a.m.
@Yeah Buddy....the correct total for a recall petition is a minimum if 790,538. To cover signatures that might be thrown out by the Secretary of State due to various reasons, the recall campaign would need 900,000 signatures to cover. <a href="http://www.firesnyder.org" rel='nofollow'>http://www.firesnyder.org</a>
Yeah buddy
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:08 p.m.
Only need 806,522 signatures for a recall election. Oh, and and you have to wait 6 months after the term begins. Oops, 806,372 I forgot the 150 protesters from yesterday.
Yeah buddy
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.
Next Rachel Maddow will have you to believe that he is going to burn non-believers at the stake, poison crops, and ship children overseas to staff Chinese sweatshops.
HADES
Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 2:39 a.m.
David, you do realize that the reason companies ship their jobs overseas is because the unions here cost too much. When you own a company your main goal is to make a profit. With over paid union employees you're setting your business up to fail. So I understand why companies ship jobs overseas. Would I rather they keep work here and give it to Americans? Yes! But NOT if things continue the way are going with the unions. I would rather have all of the union workers unemployed because they did it to themselves! The unions have black mailed companies for too long and it's time for that to end!
David Briegel
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
Actually, it is nice to see you admit that American values include buying things made in Communist Chinese sweatshops and shipped here by American Corporations and sold by "American Businesses"! American Values =Greed! Aren't you just proud as punch? I know DF is!
DFSmith
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 7:04 p.m.
Right on, YeahBuddy!!!!
DFSmith
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 6:39 p.m.
More of the same lies are being repeated again by the Unions and their "progressive" allies. Remember folks, the people of Michigan voted for Governor in overwhelming numbers. Mayor Bernero wasnt even close. If the Unions and their allies create a circus in Lansing like their friends in Wisconsin, it will be a clear indication that thee Unions and their allies are trying to subvert democracy- they are trying to impose their will even though they side suffered a massive defeat in the last elections. Now, let the hate-fest begin!!! :):) C'mon, Snyder and Republican haters, get to work!!!!
northside
Thu, Mar 17, 2011 : 1:22 a.m.
Um, I just mentioned one: he said nothing during the campaign about taxing pensions. Had he been honest? No way he even gets out of the Republican primary. One more: he said nothing about cutting funding to universities 20% (<a href="http://www.detnews.com/article/20110305/METRO/103050363/)" rel='nofollow'>http://www.detnews.com/article/20110305/METRO/103050363/)</a> Once again would people have voted for such a candidate?
sh1
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 10:54 p.m.
What are the lies you're talking about? Please cite evidence.
northside
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 9:32 p.m.
Maybe Snyder won big because he was so dishonest about his plans? How many seniors or "no new tax" conservatives would have voted for Snyder had he been up front about his new pension tax? Hell, he wouldn't even have made it out of the Republican primary.
USA CITIZEN
Wed, Mar 16, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.
Actually, observing these "rally's" is a great way to expose people to just what the democrat liberal union people are all about and up to. They are truly their own greatest enemy. let them protest - people are growing tired of this and observing they're true intentions. Best advertising for the unions I've ever seen.