News & Events
MNA Legislative Update 04-13-12
04.13.2012
Legislators back from break and ready to do more damage
Refreshed from their break, the Republican majority in Lansing will hit the ground running next week on their top priority: attacking Michigan workers. The latest move: a bill to make teachers pay up to 11 percent more toward their retirement. That’s on top of the new laws mandating a 3 percent deduction and higher out-of-pocket health care costs. Contact your state representative and state senator and tell them it’s not fair to keep putting more of a burden on working families.
Governor makes motorcycle helmets optional
Refusing to listen to RNs and other medical professionals trying to protect the health and safety of Michigan residents, Gov. Rick Snyder refused to veto the repeal of the motorcycle helmet law on Thursday. The governor knows that making helmets optional guarantees more traumatic brain injuries and deaths, and shamefully, he signed the law anyway.
Snyder refuses to give hospitals $10 million
Gov. Snyder also had a chance to do something positive by approving a budget bill that provided $10 million toward Michigan hospitals with a disproportionate share of Medicaid and Medicare patients. That funding could have helped facilities cover their costs instead of passing the burden onto their nurses and other employees.
Protect Our Jobs, Protect Our Voice!
Nurses know how critical collective bargaining is to fair wages, benefits, a safe workplace and the ability to advocate for patients. So it’s no surprise MNA members around the state are helping lead the “Protect Our Jobs” campaign to add collective bargaining rights to the state constitution. This is the best way to protect all workers and our middle class against political attacks.
If you aren’t already participating in gathering signatures to get this constitutional amendment on the ballot in November, please contact Julia Smith-Heck at julia.heck@minurses.org.
GOP lawmakers shutting down democracy any way they can
There is growing concern about how Lansing Republicans are going to extremes to silence and circumvent legislators trying to stand up against their radical agenda. It’s even putting Michigan in the national spotlight. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow highlights the unconstitutional methods Republicans are using in this video.
Fed-up seniors let Congressman Benishek have it
Seniors in Congressman Dan Benishek’s district wouldn’t let him off the hook when the Crystal Falls Republican tried to talk his way around his plan to kill Medicare to give tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. Watch the amazing video here.
Meanwhile, Dr. Benishek was busy doing nothing to save Cheboygan Memorial Hospital right in his own backyard. CMH closed April 3rd, leaving the entire county without hospital care and putting 400 employees, including 37 of our nurses, out of work. We didn’t let Benishek off the hook, either. Read MNA’s press release here.
Hang out with us at the International Women’s Show in Novi!
MNA is sponsoring a booth at the International Women’s Show in Novi from Thursday, May 3rd through Sunday, May 6th. We’re offering a great Continuing Education opportunity on Thursday and Friday. We are still looking for volunteers to help staff the booth - contact Mariam at mariam.robinson@minurses.org if you’re interested. Please contact Mary about the CE at mary.holbrook@minurses.org or register online.
We look forward to seeing you!
