Michigan Appellate Court: Place Collective Bargaining Amendment on Ballot
by Clyde Weiss | August 28, 2012
The Michigan Court of Appeals on Monday stood up to corporate-backed politicians who want to deny voters a chance to decide whether collective bargaining should be enshrined in the state’s constitution.
The court rejected a challenge by a business coalition to the ballot initiative, which is supported by the Protect Our Jobs coalition (of which AFSCME Council 25 is a leading member). Protect Our Jobs collected 684,286 signatures -- more than double the number needed for certification of the constitutional amendment to appear on the ballot this November.
The four-member Board of State Canvassers, which is responsible for certifying measures for the ballot, deadlocked on the certification issue when its two Republican members voted no. A Court of Appeals panel took up the question last week, resulting in today’s ruling.
We would like to think that the court’s well-reasoned decision ends the dispute. But, no, Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution, a group formed by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, will appeal to the state Supreme Court to prevent the pro-worker amendment from getting on the ballot. We hope the state Supreme Court will stand up for democracy and allow a vote on the amendment.
