Michigan set to allow voiding of unions contracts

[aGameOfThrones]

(Reuters) - The Michigan House gave final approval on Tuesday to granting state-appointed emergency managers broad powers to break labor deals with failing schools an cities, and the plan is expected to be signed into law.

New Republican Governor Rick Snyder, who is expected to sign the draft law soon, asked for the plan to extend the powers of emergency managers appointed to save failing programs. Detroit Public Schools, the state's largest district, has been under emergency management for two years.

Last week, hundreds of pro-union demonstrators had jammed the Capitol in Lansing from the rotunda to the floors above to protest the plan in a scene similar to the weeks of opposition raised by workers at the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison.

The Michigan bill allows a governor-appointed emergency manager to modify or end collective bargaining agreements. With the governor's approval, the emergency manager also could dissolve a city government or recommend consolidation.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/15/us-michigan-unions-idUSTRE72E86R20110315

[eduardo89]

a small but positive first step in michigan.

[Zatch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX7wtNOkuHo

[brenden.b]

There was such better legislation they could have done than this nonsense....

Right to Work legislation...

Restructuring collective bargaining...

Anti-PLA....

But no, Michigan goes for a bill that basically allows the executive branch to pick and chose who will get fixed, instead of just fixing the whole mess...

[pcosmar]

I'm not really liking it a bit.

Governor Rick Snyder, who is expected to sign the draft law soon, asked for the plan to extend the powers of emergency managers appointed to save failing programs.

Why save failing programs? Unelected "emergency managers" dictating policy to local entities?

How about shutting down funding and cutting state employees (on a Mass scale). Nope, not even considered.
Oh yeah, Raising taxes too. Good going "R"s.

I really didn't have much hope when I voted for him. But the other choice was worse.( it seemed)
:mad:

[sailingaway]

a small but positive first step in michigan.

I'm not sure. Breaking contracts isn't usually a good thing.... but I don't have the facts enough to offer an opinion for this case.

[eduardo89]

I'm not sure. Breaking contracts isn't usually a good thing.... but I don't have the facts enough to offer an opinion for this case.

No it's not usually a good thing. But if they're contracts that were negotiated by unions with leverage on the politicians they were negotiating with and ended up giving them a deal that's unfair to the taxpayer and unsustainable then yes, it's fair for the contract be broken.

[silverhandorder]

I would say political contracts are only as good as the public support for them. If public sentiment turns against unions who is going to punish government for breaking it? If anything it should be implicitly understood that a political contract even if it claims to be over a long time is only as good as the next election.

[Stary Hickory]

I think this will be more and more common. Unions have many state budgets by the balls. In order to meaningfully reduce spending, unions must be reigned in as well. There is no reason to even hire workers who unionize much less deal with them.

Let states offer pay and benefits packages and see if they can fill vacant positions, if so then the pay and benefits are sufficient if not, then they have to make these jobs more attractive.

[AuH20]

Is it wrong for me wishing that these states go bankrupt and that these lavish contracts essentially become null & void? Or would that be considered "mean-spirited"? :D I certainly don't support the governor's methods. But we need a sea change throughout our entire society. Unfortunately, the population only responds to extreme stimuli.

[Stary Hickory]

Is it wrong for me wishing that these states go bankrupt and that these lavish contracts become null & void? Or would that be considered "mean-spirited"?:D I don't support the governor's methods. But we need a sea change throughout our entire society. Unfortunately, the population only responds to extreme stimuli.

No I would get some satisfaction in that too....I want the whole concept of big government to die as completely as it possibly can.

[AuH20]

No I would get some satisfaction in that too....I want the whole concept of big government to die as completely as it possibly can.

Well, the myth of big government will continue, until it can no longer provide advantages to particular groups. The day that proverbial bridge is crossed, is the end of the megastate we have grown accustomed to.

[susano]

I'm all for ending PUBLIC SECTOR union collective bargaining because they don't bargain with the people who are paying them. This bill and it's broad executive power grab is bullshit, though. The state has no right to throw out local elected government. We need to get MORE local, not less. This is just a power grab by Lansing.

I undervoted because of Rick Snyder. No way in hell I was voting for that globalist RINO.

Oh, and when the right to work question was asked about prior to the election, he said "we wouldn't go there". So, he doesn't like right to work and he likes concentrating power in state govt.

[angelatc]

There was such better legislation they could have done than this nonsense....

Right to Work legislation...
Restructuring collective bargaining...
Anti-PLA....
But no, Michigan goes for a bill that basically allows the executive branch to pick and chose who will get fixed, instead of just fixing the whole mess...

Bingo. Just wait until the Democrats get the reins back. They're gonna love seizing all that new power. (http://redstateeclectic.typepad.com/redstate_commentary/2011/03/michigan-to-void-union-contracts-overthrow-local-democracies.html)

[angelatc]

I'm not sure. Breaking contracts isn't usually a good thing.... but I don't have the facts enough to offer an opinion for this case.

I'd be curious too. Contracts can be voided in bankruptcy hearings, but I think I remember BobbyW24 saying that the laws about that were federal. And if the goal is to void contracts to avoid bankruptcy.....not sure they can do that. Not sure they can't either though - that's what the courts are for, I guess.