HB 5881, which would allow MDOC retirees to work in prisons part time through September 2013, passed out of the state House of Representatives Wednesday evening. 58 representatives voted for the bill and 48 voted against.
Here’s a list of representatives and how they voted:
(Not sure who your state representative is? Click here.)
| Yeas—58 Bolger Haines MacGregor Potvin Bumstead Haveman MacMaster Price Callton Heise McBroom Pscholka Cotter Hooker McMillin Rendon Crawford Horn Moss Rogers Daley Hughes Muxlow Schmidt, R. Damrow Huuki Nesbitt Schmidt, W. Denby Jacobsen O’Brien Shirkey Foster Johnson Olson Somerville Franz Knollenberg Opsommer Stamas Genetski Kowall Ouimet Tyler Gilbert Kurtz Outman Walsh Glardon LaFontaine Pettalia Yonker Goike Lund Poleski Zorn Graves Lyon |
Nays—48 Agema Dillon Jackson Rutledge Ananich Durhal Jenkins Santana Barnett Farrington Kandrevas Segal Bauer Forlini Lane Slavens Bledsoe Geiss LeBlanc Smiley Brown Greimel Lindberg Stallworth Brunner Hammel Lipton Stanley Byrum Haugh Liss Stapleton Cavanagh Hobbs McCann Switalski Clemente Hovey-Wright Meadows Talabi Constan Howze Nathan Tlaib Darany Irwin Oakes Townsend |
This bill will now go to the state Senate for a vote. The Senate reconvenes Tuesday. It is imperative you contact your state senator right away and ask for a no vote! Click here to email your senator.
(Please note, the campaign this link will take you to is not the same exact campaign MCO posted in October. We have updated the email you can send your Senator to reflect the most recent action on the bill. Even if you emailed your legislators last month, don’t hesitate to email them this updated letter.)
MCO President Tom Tylutki wrote letters to the editors of several publications this month in light of incidents at KCF and SRF. A few publications published the letter, but many did not.
In case you didn’t see a letter in your local newspaper, here is the text of Tom’s letters.
To editors of newspapers in the Upper Peninsula:
Dear Editor:
Early this year, corrections officers led informational pickets around the state to raise awareness of dangerous prison security cuts. Perimeter Security Vehicles and routine vehicle patrols were on the chopping block. The Department of Corrections said habitual patrols were too expensive and sporadic patrols would be sufficient. Now the habitual patrols are gone, and we’re seeing the repercussions.
Before day break Nov. 6, a car pulled up outside a housing unit at the Kinross Correctional Facility in Kincheloe. An officer saw someone get out of the car and throw more than 10 packages over the perimeter fences. By the time the officer called for help, and the prison command center dispatched another officer in a security vehicle, it was too late – no one could get a description of the car or the suspect.
Inside the packages were more than two dozen cell phones, six grams of heroin, two pounds of marijuana, two pounds of tobacco, a body-building supplement and cigarette lighters.
When it comes to prison security, every second counts. I can’t help but wonder if this story would have had a different ending if the routine patrols were still in place.
Tom Tylutki
President, Michigan Corrections Organization
421 W. Kalamazoo
Lansing, MI 48933
(517)485-3310
To editors of newspapers near Saginaw:
MCO will continue efforts to raise awareness of the safety threats corrections officers encounter every day.
UPDATE:
Get involved in your community’s efforts to protect working families from harmful legislation during the Lame Duck session. Events are happening now across the state. Click here to find an event near you.
ORIGINAL POST:
Dear MCO Members and Friends,
The crap is about to hit the fan! As we feared, the legislature is talking about taking up the so called, “Right to Work” bills they’ve been sitting on for the last two years. There are a variety of bills before them — some would make the whole state Right to Work (just like in the southern states) and certain bills would just do it to governmental employee’s. In addition, there are bills that would affect how we do our business. Regardless, every one of these anti-worker bills will hurt us and undermine completely any ability of unions to do our business representing you.
I know the last several years have been tough and we’ve taken a lot of hits. We have and are fighting in every forum we can — at the bargaining table, the legislature and the courts. Many members have stepped up and joined the fight. We need you to do that now – immediately — pronto. The legislature is returning next week in a lame duck session and our friends and the media have told us the majority party is determined to go after the unions once and for all! Time is of the essence.
We are working with the AFL and coalitions to try to stop all this. Please follow the link below to send a message to both the Senate and the House. But we need more than that — please call your own state representative and state senator (leave a message if legislator or staff are not there) and ask them to vote no on any Right to Work legislation. Be polite but direct and leave your name and address because they really only pay attention to their own constituents. Remind them as well of the very dangerous job you do every day protecting the public.
This matter is urgent. Unfortunately, some of our own members will contact their legislator and tell them to do it to us. Please put the emotion aside and think about how bad things can really get if we don’t have a voice at the table.
Send a message now! before the legislature returns to Lansing on November 27. There is no time to lose. Speak up immediately and stay vigilant in case further action is needed. Thank you and keep up the good work you do every day.
Mel Grieshaber/MCO Executive Director
Nearly 200 officers graduated from the Dennis Straub Recruit Class last week and are now working at prisons throughout the state.
Family and friends of recruits packed the graduation ceremony held Friday at a Lansing hotel. Straub, Department of Corrections administrators, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder attended the ceremony.
Snyder told recruits the goal of government is customer service. Corrections officers must serve Michigan citizens and inmates, Snyder said.
Snyder, whose brother-in-law was a corrections officer, thanked the recruits for working with prisoners to help them succeed.
Straub also spoke. Straub is a former MDOC executive director and prison warden who got his start in corrections as a counselor. He got a chuckle from the crowd when he said after stressful days he would tell his kids to “lock up.”
For more photos, visit MCO on Flickr.
It’s the day after election day, and there’s good news and bad news. Most notably, the proposal to protect collective bargaining did not pass.
Here are results of some key races and questions on the Nov. 6 ballot.
MCO-endorsed candidates and recommended positions are in bold.
* = elected
How the U.S. voted for President:
| * | Barack Obama (D) | 59,575,617 votes | 303 Electoral votes |
| Mitt Romney (R) | 59,948,876 | 206 Electoral votes |
How Michigan voted for President:
| * | Barack Obama (D) | 2,394,089 | 53.6% | 16 |
| Mitt Romney (R) | 2,033,206 | 45.5% |
How Michigan voted for Senator:
| * | Debbie Stabenow (D) (Incumbent) | 2,532,277 | 58% |
| Pete Hoekstra (R) | 1,685,166 | 39% |
How Michigan voted for Supreme Court (general):
| * | Bridget McCormack | 1,432,073 | 23% |
| * | Stephen Markman (incumbent) | 1,429,787 | 23% |
| Colleen O’Brien | 1,324,118 | 22% | |
| Connie Kelley | 1,307,865 | 21% | |
| Kerry Morgan | 250,440 | 4% | |
| Doug Dern | 209,967 | 3% | |
| Bob Roddis | 173,382 | 3% |
How Michigan voted for Supreme Court (partial):
| * | Brian Zahra | 1,671,913 | 50% |
| Shelia Johnson | 1,367,059 | 41% | |
| Mindy Barry | 293,965 | 9% |
Here’s how Michigan voted on the state ballot proposals:
Proposal 1: Referendum on the Emergency Financial Manager Law:
| Yes | 2,032,876 | 48% | |
| * | No | 2,239,006 | 52% |
Proposal 2: Protect Working Families (Collective Bargaining):
| Yes | 1,813,732 | 42% | |
| * | No | 2,523,065 | 58% |
Proposal 3: 24% Renewable Energy Sources by 2013:
| Yes | 1,607,695 | 37% | |
| * | No | 2,741,775 | 63% |
Proposal 4: Keep Home Health Care a Safe Choice:
| Yes | 2,032,876 | 48% | |
| * | No | 2,239,006 | 52% |
Proposal 5: Proposal to amend the state Constitution to require a supermajority for tax changes:
| Yes | 1,335,411 | 31% | |
| * | No | 2,943,536 | 69% |
Proposal 6: The Bridge Debate:
| Yes | 1,743,120 | 40% | |
| * | No | 2,570,148 | 60% |
Here’s results from two other races mentioned in the MCO Report:
State House District 65:
| Bonnie Johnson (D) (retired MCO member) | 17,381 | 43% | |
| * | Mike Shirkey (R) (incumbent) | 22,862 | 57% |
Montcalm Township Supervisor:
| Ron Trachet (R) (MCO member) | 560 | 43% | |
| * | Michael Adams (I) (Incumbent) | 732 | 56% |
Please note, as more election results trickle in throughout the day, these numbers could slightly change.
Click here for full Michigan state House election results.
Sources: The New York Times, The Detroit Free Press, Greenville Daily News.
This weekend marks the final push of the 2012 Election Cycle and MCO is looking for volunteers to take part in a statewide Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign.
Shift times are available Nov. 3 through Nov. 6 and typically run three hours with duties like working a phone bank, canvassing a neighborhood or greeting people at the polls on election day. Shifts start at:
SATURDAY: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
SUNDAY: 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
MONDAY: 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM
TUESDAY: 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM
No matter what your political views, this year’s election is extremely important because voters will weigh in on six ballot proposals which will undoubtedly shape our state’s future (especially Proposal 2). Please see below for a full list of GOTV offices and their contact information, or contact Jeremy Tripp at jeremy@mco-seiu.org with the shift time you wish to fill and the location.
Every shift counts and please let us know about your participation so MCO members can be recognized for their efforts.
Detroit HQ
2727 Second Avenue, Suite 200
Detroit, MI
Detroit@ofamichigan.com
(313) 330-9498
Detroit
20225 Livernois Avenue
Detroit, MI
Detroit
2810 W. Vernor Highway
Detroit, MI
Grosse Pointe Park
14929-14931 Charlevoix
Grosse Pointe Park, MI
Sterling Heights
Michigan Education Association
13969 Plumbrook Rd.
Sterling Heights, MI 48312
William Wilson: 586.557.9537
wwilson@protectourjobs.com
Sterling Heights
37378 Van Dyke Avenue
Sterling Heights, MI
William Wilson: 586.557.9537
Warren
8322 E 12 Mile
Warren, MI
William Wilson: 586.557.9537
wwilson@protectourjobs.com
Pontiac
4 North Saginaw
Pontiac, MI
Joe Caporale: 248.705.4505
jcaporale@protectourjobs.com
Royal Oak
811 N. Main Street
Royal Oak, MI
Joe Caporale: 248.705.4505
jcaporale@protectourjobs.com
Lathrup Village
Michigan Education Association
17500 W. 11 Mile Rd
Lathrup Village, MI 48076
Joe Caporale: 248.705.4505
jcaporale@protectourjobs.com
Southfield
29207 Southfield Road
Southfield, MI
Joe Caporale: 248.705.4505
jcaporale@protectourjobs.com
Ann Arbor
455 E. Eisenhower Pkwy, Suite 65
Ann Arbor, MI
Micheal Davis: 734.707.9069
mdavis@protectourjobs.com
Dearborn
Dearborn Federation of Teachers
15250 Mercantile Drive
Dearborn, MI
Peter Van Kuiken: 313.389.6797
pvankuiken@protectourjobs.com
Dearborn
13742 Michigan Avenue
Dearborn, MI
Peter Van Kuiken: 313.389.6797
pvankuiken@protectourjobs.com
Ann Arbor
325 Braun Court
Ann Arbor, MI
Micheal Davis: 734.707.9069
mdavis@protectourjobs.com
Brownstown
18708 Telegraph Rd.
Brownstown, MI
Peter Van Kuiken: 313.389.6797
pvankuiken@protectourjobs.com
Ypsilanti
61 N. Huron
Ypsilanti, MI
Micheal Davis: 734.707.9069
mdaivs@protectourjobs.com
Wyandotte
3509 Biddle Avenue
Wyandotte, MI
Peter Van Kuiken: 313.389.6797
pvankuiken@protectourjobs.com
Flint
4400 S. Saginaw, Suite 1370
Flint, MI
Marcie Hemgesberg – 810.877.8753
mhemgesberg@protectourjobs.com
Saginaw
122 North Michigan Avenue
Saginaw, MI
Marcie Hemgesberg – 810.877.8753
mhemgesberg@protectourjobs.com
Grand Rapids
345 Fuller Avenue, NE, Suite 1
Grand Rapids, MI
Hank Wisner: 616.430.0616
hwisner@protectourjobs.com
Lansing
2722 E. Michigan Avenue, Ste. 103
Lansing, MI
Erin Butler: 517.588.9630
ebutler@protectourjobs.com
Kalamazoo
IBEW Local 131
3641 E. Cork St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Trevor Belger: 269.216.4710
tbelger@protectourjobs.com
Kalamazoo
IBEW Local 131
3641 E. Cork St.
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Trevor Belger: 269.216.4710
tbelger@protectourjobs.com
Muskegon
490 W. Western Ave
Muskegon, MI
Hank Wisner: 616.430.0616
hwisner@protectourjobs.com
Mt. Pleasant
122 North Kinney Street
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Jim Moreno: 989.444.8015
Jackson
500 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1
Jackson, MI
Erin Butler: 517.703.6787
ebutler@protectourjobs.com
Battle Creek
596 W. Columbia
Battle Creek, MI
Trevor Belger: 269.216.4710
tbelger@protectourjobs.com
Benton Harbor
209 E. Main Street
Benton Harbor, MI
Trevor Belger: 269.216.4710
tbelger@protectourjobs.com
Mt. Pleasant
122 North Kinney Street
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Jim Moreno: 989.444.8015
jmoreno@protectourjobs.com
Marquette, MI
Carpenters Hall 1221 Division St.
Dorthy and Jim Johnson: 906.322.0422
johnsons@protectourjobs.com