Your Health Care and Bargaining Rights Are Under Attack

MEA Votes E-Newsletter — July 17, 2009

Your health benefits and bargaining rights are under attack

If you haven't contacted House Speaker Andy Dillon and your state representative yet, what are you waiting for?

Regardless of the health care you've bargained with your school district, under Speaker Dillon's plan, you'll be bargaining with the state--they'll determine what benefits you should have.

You've already given enough! E-mail and phone Speaker Dillon and your representative NOW! See the Legislative Contacts on the left side of the Blog.

Also, include the following legislators in your lobbying efforts. Encourage them to withhold their support of Dillon's plan:

Rep. Pam Byrnes
Rep. Tim Melton
Rep. Mark Meadows
Rep. Kathy Angerer

Talking Points to consider.

Contact Dillon and your state representative immediately. Tell them:

• This proposal is anti-school employee, anti-collective bargaining and anti-union.
• The state isn't capable of managing the programs it has, as evidenced by the current economic and budget crisis in Michigan. How can it run a statewide health insurance pool?
• Where are the savings Speaker Dillon expects coming from? How can we trust these numbers if the government can't even get the budget settled?
• This program jeopardizes the health and security of all school employees and their families.
• This proposal eliminates local control and destroys collective bargaining rights that school employees have had for generations.
• As a school employee, I already pay for my benefits and I have given up salary and other benefits to save my school district and the state money. I already do my part in being fiscally responsible.
• In addition to being a school employee, I am also a taxpayer. This plan doesn't save me any money as Dillon suggests. It simply shifts the cost to me.