Posts tagged Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Construction trade association sues state over Whitmer’s ‘unilateral’ prevailing wage policy
July 22, 2022 // "The governor has seemingly revived this repealed procedure, but has not done so by either enforcing legislation or through the procedures of the Administrative Procedure Act," wrote ABC of Michigan, represented by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. "The policy has been implemented by unilateral edict from the governor's office. This is not a proper method of governance and is not binding on plaintiff." ABC of Michigan, Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline, Jimmy Greene, Gov. Rick Snyder, Department of Technology Management and Budget, Administrative Procedures Act, DTMB,
State of Michigan plays peek-a-boo, redacting publicly available document
July 21, 2022 // The state included in its response a document with several redactions, even though the same document is publicly available without the redactions. “This is yet another example of FOIA being applied improperly and inconsistently. The records produced in response to this request were available online, and in entirely unredacted form," says Steve Delie, director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center. “It is unclear whether these redactions were legally permissible, but it is clear is that public bodies are not applying FOIA in a way that encourages openness and transparency.”
Rochester school district under fire over transparency
July 11, 2022 // “The FOIA contains objective standards for what can be obtained through FOIA, and what can be withheld,” Delie said. “The implication that a private actor is influencing that legal determination is unsettling to say the least. The district has an obligation to respond to FOIA requests as provided by law, regardless of the preferences of those who may be mentioned in a record.” Delie pointed to Michigan Compiled Laws 15.232, which defines what is a public record, as well as 15.243, which provides for exemptions in some circumstances. He says the union has no right to challenge the district’s decisions on how to comply with the law, and it should not be afforded a pseudo-vote on what should be disclosed. Andrew Weaver, Superintendent [Robert] Shaner & REA President Doug Hill, Doug Pratt, Debra Fragomeni, Elena Dinverno,
Opinion: States should protect caregivers’ Medicaid funds from union skims
June 27, 2022 // Yet, while a number of states including Michigan have taken action to prohibit the dues skim, a May rule by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reversed a Trump administration effort to stop the skim nationally. A separate 9th Circuit decision last week also continues to allow unions to trap home care providers into paying them. Robert and Patricia Haynes, cerebral palsy, Gov. Rick Snyder, Harris v. Quinn, Cindy Ochoa, most pro-union president ever,
U.S. Court of Appeals Shouldn’t Let Unions Buy Their Way Out of Litigation
June 3, 2022 // “This is an attempt by a union to circumvent litigation to avoid potentially damaging precedent,” said Patrick Wright, vice president of legal affairs at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and president of the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. “We hope the court recognizes the importance of allowing plaintiffs, even in non-union cases, to vigorously pursue their constitutional rights, regardless of gamesmanship.”
Opinion: Michigan is better off because of right-to-work law
May 9, 2022 // Right-to-work laws drew raucous debates over their adoption, but evidence continues to demonstrate largely positive effects from such laws. They should be protected by policymakers for the sake of worker freedom and for sound economic development policy.
Welcome to Indiana, a Right-to-Work State
April 15, 2022 // Our study indicates that right to work has broad benefits, and states are harming themselves by not adopting these laws. Policy makers interested in making their states more attractive to employers, especially in union-dense industries such as manufacturing, should consider right to work. They would entice more employers such as Ms. Phillips and the thousands of high-quality and in-demand jobs they create.
Court Should Recognize That Unions Cannot Charge Nonmembers Grievance Fees
April 7, 2022 // Workers who do not belong to a union cannot be charged grievance fees, according to an amicus brief submitted today by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy to the Michigan Supreme Court. This is the second time in a year that the Michigan Supreme Court specifically requested an amicus brief from the Mackinac Center.
Teachers Unions Called For Closing Classrooms; Students Now Facing Mental Health Challenges
April 5, 2022 // Chalkbeat Detroit reported March 14 that the Detroit school district has hired additional mental health staffer to deal with a potential mental health crisis among students who were deprived of the classroom experience and personal interactions during the past two years
Free-Market Thought Leaders Urge DeSantis to Take Up Worker Freedom Reforms in Special Session
March 30, 2022 // Free-market thought leaders want Governor Ron DeSantis to take up worker freedom issues in a special session of the Florida Legislature, according to an open letter sent to the governor today. The legislation would ensure public employees are made aware of their rights when deciding whether to join a union and are given the opportunity to vote on union representation.