Local House Bills
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Public Act 312
Brothers and Sisters:
I have been on vacation for the past 10 days and for the most part unable to send electronic communications. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for a productive convention.
Although we have been successful with 312, the fight is still not over. Calls are still needed to our legislators as there are changes pending in how insurance costs will be paid including a cap on what employers will pay. This will result in a greater financial burden to members. We need to let our legislators know that this is unacceptable. (John
Buczek sent information out about this earlier today.) Please write and/or call your legislators and please continue to be professional.
It is important that this information be shared with other members. Please share this with your lodges and encourage then to keep contacted legislators. Our voices were heard on 312 and we need to have them heard on this pending legislation as well.
As always, take care of yourselves and each other.
Fraternally,
Harold West
Mifop State President
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UPDATE
HB4522 passed by the Senate June 29, 2011
HB4522 passed by the House on June 23, 2011
Since Mid-January, 2011, the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House of Representatives have been introducing, debating, voting upon and sending to the Governor, large number of pieces of legislation (bills) that affect law enforcement officers. While this happens every year, this year is unusual in that, of the 148 elected officials, 63 of them have never served in the legislature before. 62 out of the 110 House members have never served in the House of Representatives and 1 out of the 38 Senators has never served in the Senate. This, along with a brand new Governor, is making things particularly chaotic.
Bills to which we refer.
If you would like to view the contents of the legislation, visit www.milegislature.org or www.michigan.gov
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Senate Passes SB-0007. Mandating Public Employees pay 20% of Health Care costs.
To read this bill click here SB 0007
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Monday, March 21, 2011
CONTACT – Bill Nowling 517.488.8886
Response from MIFOP and MPFFU on Governor Snyder’s Proposed Reforms to P.A. 312
The Michigan Professional Fire Firefighters Union and the Michigan Fraternal Order of Police are both encouraged that Governor Rick Snyder recognizes P.A. 312 needs to be reformed and not repealed. We strongly believe that P.A. 312 – over the course of the last 40 years –has worked effectively to keep communities safe and fire fighters and police officers on the job. It ensures that labor negotiations between public safety employees and units of government are fair and equitable for taxpayers, fire fighters and police officers.
The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police and the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union welcome changes to the law that ultimately streamline the bargaining process and keep public safety a top priority for all levels of government.
Read the message from Governor Snyder
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Governor Snyder Pushes Joint Police And Fire Departments – Critics Say
Quality Suffers, But Practice Works For Kalamazoo
By: Paul Egan – Detroit News Lansing Bureau – March 18, 2011
Lansing Read this Article
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Fire fighters, police officers say binding arbitration is good public policy
LANSING – Members of the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union and the Fraternal Order of Police showed their support for working families at rallies held here today, but added they continue to work with lawmakers to demonstrate that binding arbitration works and is good public policy.
“We stand alongside Michigan’s working families, but we also want everyone to know that we are working constructively with lawmakers to educate them about the role binding arbitration plays in keeping communities safe and our members on the job,” said Mark Docherty, president of the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union. “Our goal is good public policy.”
Added John Buczek, executive director of the Michigan Fraternal Order of Police: “Binding arbitration has worked well for 40 years. It is used only in rare cases and it is fair to all sides. This is an important tool we need so that bargaining issues do not get in the way of public safety officers doing their jobs.”
The rallies held here express opposition to legislation that gives unprecedented power to emergency financial mangers of troubled municipalities and school districts, including unilateral authority to cancel collective bargaining agreements, revise contracts and fire elected officials. Docherty and Buczek said both the MPFFU and MFOP oppose the emergency financial manager legislation because it could put public safety at risk. And, they added, their members continue to fight legislation that would repeal binding arbitration for police officers and fire fighters.
PA 312, known as the Michigan Policemen’s and Firemen’s Compulsory Arbitration Act, was signed into law in 1969 after several work stoppages by police officers and fire fighters had threatened public safety. The law is the result of a commission appointed by former Gov. George Romney and was designed to maintain services by settling labor disputes between public safety employees and municipalities through an impartial arbitration panel. Public safety employees are prohibited by law from striking or engaging in other work stoppages.
Most labor negotiations between public safety employees and municipalities are settled without the need for binding arbitration. But for the few cases each year where there is an impasse, PA 312 offers a fair and transparent process for all parties to present their last, best offers to an impartial arbitration panel. In such cases, the panel holds a hearing, considers the facts presented – including the municipality’s ability to pay as prescribed by the law – and then decides which side’s final offers to accept. Since 1998, municipalities have won more than 60 percent of the issues that have gone before a binding arbitration panel.
About MPFFU: The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union was established in 1934 and it is Michigan's largest professional, career firefighters organization, representing over 5,000 firefighter members. More information at: http://www.MPFFU.org.
About MFOP: The State Lodge of the Michigan Fraternal Order of Police was formed in 1939 and is Michigan's largest and oldest law enforcement organization. MFOP has 7,500 active and 5,000 associate members in 70 lodges located throughout the state. More information at: http://www.MIFOP.com.
Public Act 312
Frequently Asked Questions here
Throughout the discussion of reforming Public Act 312, misinformation continues to be perpetuated. The following document is brief, but sets the record straight about what PA 312 does and why it is important to the public safety of all Michigan residents.