Fighting Back Against ‘Local Dictators’ in Michigan

by Kyle Weidleman  |  July 20, 2012

Earlier this year, the AFSCME-led Stand Up for Democracy coalition submitted more than 200,000 signatures to get a citizens’ veto of Public Act 4, aka the local dictators law, on the November ballot. In what should have been a routine approval hearing, the state canvassing board instead deadlocked along partisan lines on a 2-2 vote that initially blocked ballot access. The members voting no cited a disputed technicality over the font size printed on the petitions.

Stand Up for Democracy, with both the spirit and letter of the law on their side, appealed the Board vote. The state Court of Appeals ruled in favor of ballot access, but delayed final action until the state Supreme Court had an opportunity to weigh in. The state’s highest court has just agreed to hear arguments from both sides on July 25.

“The real issue before the court is whether or not Michigan will be a state that allows their citizens to redress their government through the petition process,” Herbert Sanders, legal counsel for Stand Up for Democracy, told The Detroit News. “We believe the court should sustain the ruling that it should be on the ballot.”

The Supreme Court’s decision cannot come soon enough. The Detroit Financial Advisory Board—effectively a panel of local dictators—had previously tossed out a contract that was negotiated in good faith between public service workers and elected officials. They are now seeking to impose a contract that is similar to the negotiated one in many respects, but the advisory board’s actions make it clear that they would rather throw the collective bargaining process out the window than come to the table.

“The fiscal crisis team has gone way beyond the pale,” said AFSCME Council 25 President Al Garrett. “They are trying to dictate issues in the contract that have no financial impact whatsoever on the City of Detroit.”

The supporters of the local dictators law have proved that they are willing to use any means necessary—even subverting the will of the people and refusing to negotiate in good faith—in order to get their way. AFSCME members and our allies in Michigan have made our case to the voters and we will continue to make our case in the courts. We will fight to restore democracy and protect our collective bargaining rights.