Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on February 12, 2009, to urge the Governor to work with the Civil Service Commission to require that state employees either work on President's Day or take the day off as an unpaid holiday to reflect the state's dire financial challenges

The vote was 5 in favor, 30 opposed and 2 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 22 at Senate Journal 0)

Click here to view bill details.

Senator Brater’s statement, in which Senator Whitmer concurred, is as follows:

I rise to oppose this resolution and the arguments that have just been given in support of it. I believe that the workers of the state of Michigan are an extremely hardworking group of people in the face of years now of downsizing state government. The state employees who are left are doubling and tripling their personal efforts to get the job done on behalf of the citizens of the state of Michigan. To balance this budget over and over again on the backs of our hardworking state employees is unfair and quite demoralizing to these workers.

I think if we want to get the best possible services in the state of Michigan, we need to be congratulating these workers and thanking them, not bashing them like this. It is important to point out that most of these holidays are based on negotiated contracts, and if we are going to alter them, it needs to be dealt with through the bargaining process. I think in that way this resolution is not a proper approach.

I agree that we are in dire straits in the economy of our state, and we need to be looking for ways to properly fund state government and to diversify our economy so that we will have the jobs of the future that we need to have for our state flourish.

 Full text of Senate Resolution 13, urge no "Presidents Day" holiday for state employees.

 A resolution to urge the Governor to work with the Civil Service Commission to require that state employees either work on President’s Day or take the day off as an unpaid holiday to reflect the state’s dire financial challenges.

Whereas, Michigan’s economic conditions are well documented. Our longstanding status as the state with some of the highest unemployment rates from month to month and the several years we have lagged behind the rest of the country in a host of key economic measures make it clear that significant changes must be made; and

Whereas, As thousands of Michigan families cope with joblessness, the fear of unemployment, and grave uncertainty in their finances, it is important for the public sector to make the same kinds of sacrifices many in the private sector have been making. It is an incongruous situation that 50,000 state employees enjoy paid holidays for dates when most private workers report for work the same as always; and

Whereas, As Michigan searches for new ways to revive our economy and improve the state’s outlook, it is most appropriate to revisit our current practices. Assumptions and policies that may have worked well in the past, when Michigan was in a far stronger situation economically, are not so applicable today. Setting a more realistic tone by reevaluating the benefits enjoyed by state employees can send a significant message and help Michigan in both practical and symbolic ways; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, That we urge the Governor to work with the Civil Service Commission to require that state em-ployees either work on President’s Day or take the day off as an unpaid holiday to reflect the state’s dire financial challenges; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor.

Pending the order that, under rule 3.204, the resolution be referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Reform.

 

 

Senators Barcia and Cassis were named co-sponsors of the resolution.

 

Senate Resolution No. 13.

Senator George asked and was granted unanimous consent to make a
statement and moved that the statement be printed in the Journal.

The motion prevailed.

Senator George's statement is as follows:

Monday morning, the sun will come up and alarm clocks will sound and
Michiganders who are lucky enough to have jobs will rub the sleep from
their eyes and will celebrate President's Day by heading off to work.
Throughout Michigan, auto repair shops will open; so will restaurants,
retail shops, dry cleaners, and dental offices. In my district, the
public schools are open; teachers and students will report as usual. The
Kalamazoo Public Library will be open; so will both Kalamazoo and
Portage city halls. Most county offices will be open. Classes will be
held at Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, and the
University of Michigan. Across the boarder in Indiana, all state offices
are open for business.

However, here in Michigan, where state government faces another huge
budget shortfall; here in Michigan, where we don't have enough resources
to pave our roads; here in Michigan, where we can no longer afford to
keep our prisoners locked up; here in Michigan, where we can't find
enough money to fully fund our schools; here in Michigan, on Monday, we
are going to give state employees the day off with full pay.

When we lose people and jobs to the state of Indiana, we are sometimes
told that it is because of our tax structure-that people and businesses
pay more in Michigan. Now if that is so, shouldn't it follow that they
should be receiving better services from state government? One might
think that perhaps those higher taxes would result in faster services, a
quicker turnaround time, or a better response from government. But
sadly, on Monday that will not be the case. There will be no state
services on Monday, as state government will be on vacation.

I am heartened to see that Governor Granholm and her administration will
be meeting with state employee unions in the coming weeks to discuss
ways to help fix Michigan through concessions. Colleagues, concessions
are nothing new to workers in Michigan, as the Big Three continue to
negotiate contracts with their employees to find ways to keep the
companies viable and the employees employed.

My friends, if we are ever to truly turn Michigan around, we must stop
paying government more and get less in return. In order to fix Michigan,
state employees cannot be paid for being idle while the rest of Michigan
is yearning to go to work.

 

 yes, concessions were made.

we conceded to pay for services that weren't worth what we paid for them with our taxes. we want that concession to STOP.

we conceded to hire people unqualified for the job, and caved in to their demands to be paid more. we want that concession to stop.

we conceded to vote for you to look after OUR money while representing us in lansing. that concession WILL stop.