News & Events
MNA Legislative Update 03-09-12
03.09.2012
Protect Our Jobs Coalition Announces Constitutional Amendment Campaign
This week working men and women from across Michigan, including MNA’s own John Armelagos, launched a grassroots effort to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to protect collective bargaining rights for all Michigan workers. The amendment would ensure that all workers have the ability to protect their jobs through the right to collectively bargain with their employer. Petitions are already being circulated among the individual coalition members for distribution and signature gathering. We have our work cut out for us, but with everyone’s dedication and assistance, we can make this happen and do our part to protect the institution of collective bargaining in Michigan forever. If you are interested in helping circulate petitions to place this proposal on the ballot, please contact Mariam Robinson at mariam.robinson@minurses.org or by calling 517-853-5521.
Bill Restricting Petition Drives Moves to House Floor
HB 5063 moved out of the House Redistricting and Elections Committee this week, a move that was undoubtedly a response to the above labor coalition’s efforts to kick off a petition drive to protect collective bargaining rights. The current bill language requires all future petitions for statewide ballot initiatives to be sent to the Secretary of State’s office for approval before being allowed to circulate it. There is currently no effective date outlined in the bill language. If it passes, HB 5063 has the potential to severely limit the efforts of groups or organizations to move forward with petition drives in a timely manner to meet the election deadlines that are already in place. Call your state representative and ask them NOT to support this legislation.
Autism Bills Move to the Senate Floor for a Vote
This week a package of bills to ensure autism insurance coverage passed out of the Senate Health Policy Committee and headed to the Senate floor for a full vote. SB 414, SB 415 and SB 981 are strong efforts to provide long overdue autism coverage to thousands of Michigan children who have had to go without it for so long. MNA supports the bills and is glad to see that they are moving in the right direction with bi-partisan support. Call your state senator and ask him or her to support these bills when they come up for a full vote.
Bill Banning Automatic Deduction of Teacher Union Dues Heads to Snyder
HB 4929 passed the legislature this week and has now gone to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. HB 4929 will prohibit public school personnel from collecting union dues on behalf of unionized public school employees. This is yet another blatant attack on collective bargaining rights and is another demonstration of the legislature’s determination to dissolve unions and their strength as quickly as possible. Call the Governor’s office today and urge him NOT to support this anti-labor legislation.
T-6 Days: 2012 Nurses MARCH!
The annual Michigan Nurses MARCH event is just 6 days away! Join us at the Lansing Center on Wednesday, March 14th, for an educational experience you’ll not soon forget. Online registration is still available at www.minurses.org. We are now taking LATE FEE registrations, so please don’t hesitate to get online and sign up today!If you have any questions, please contact Mariam Robinson at 517-853-5521 or mariam.robinson@minurses.org.
International Women’s Show ~ May 3rd– May 6th, 2012 ~ Novi
Following our Nurses March event this month, we will be gearing up to participate in all four days of the International Women’s Show at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. Please note that the location might still be known to some of you as the Rock Financial Showplace. MNA will be sponsoring a booth this year and we are still looking for volunteers! Please email Mariam Robinson at mariam.robinson@minurses.org to sign up to volunteer for one of the available shifts. Please be aware that some shifts have already been spoken for, but that some are still wide open.We’d like to say a big thank you to all the UMPNC and PECSH volunteers who have already signed up for several shifts!
MNA will also be offering a CE workshop in conjunction with the Women's Show on the mornings of May 3rd and 4th. Edie Brous, RN, BSN, MS, MPH, JD, will be talking about nursing liability and the legal aspects of social media. Click here to get more information and to register online.
