Elections & Recalls

Recalls

The Michigan Education published a document called "Electing Your Employer" which is a how-to guide to elect school board members.  Within that document is a section on recalls.  Specifically, the guide says, "Form a coalition with credible community members and get commitments of support.  Let the coalition be the lead on a recall campaign.  It is best for school employee unions to work behind the scenes on a recall."

See the entire Electing Your Employer manual, obtained from another state teachers union.

When the Southfield school board voted 5-2 to save over $21 million over 3 years by contracting for transportation, food service, and custodians, the MEA decided to drop the hammer.  "We're going to hold them accountable," MEA president Iris K. Salters sniffed on the union's website.

So they set out to oust 4 members of the board that voted to privatize the services.  The 5th was up for election in November 2008 and thus ineligible for recall.

The irony is not lost that just 3 years ago, the local affiliate of the MEA called 2 of those now threatened with recall, Fern Katz and Darryle Buchanan, "dynamic, highly qualified, and articulate candidates."

Suddenly, because the board votes a way the union opposed, these board members are unfit for service!

The union is so bold to not even shield their involvement. MEA Uniserv director Pay Haynie herself filed the recall petitions with the Oakland County clerk.

In Gladstone, union apologists were unhappy with a contract settlement that will bring that district to the financial brink.  There, the Uniserv director has testified before the Delta County elections commission to get the recall language approved.

In Reed City, recall language was filed just prior to a scheduled school board vote on privatizing custodial and food service.  That recall was successfully placed on the ballot and voters recalled all four board members in November 2008.

In Wayne-Westland, citizens who felt the teachers should not have been ordered to halt their strike have filed petition language against four board members.  The original petition language actually stated the board member(s) should be recalled because they rejected the union's contract offer. 

Language that was approved states the board members voted in favor of adpoting hearing procedures "concerning the illegal withholding of services by the WWEA or any of its members."  Shockingly, they admit the strike was illegal.

The recall group has held organizing meetings at the Wayne-Westland Education Association offices, according to an e-mail that found its way to MEAexposed.  The address is that of the WWEA, the local MEA affiliate.  Another e-mail--this one appears to be from a local union building representative relays advice from the MEA, apparently from Uniserv director Evelyn Baran--strengthens the link between the union and the recall campaign.

More as this develops...

Elections

Perhaps the easiest way for the MEA to maintain its grip on education in Michigan—and suppress reform—is to actively recruit and support candidates for school boards.  It’s fairly obvious: if you can elect your friends with relatively little invested in low turn-out elections, they’ll be sitting across from you come contract negotiating time.

EAG compiled a page called ‘Follow the Money’ which lists all the contributions MEA-affiliated Political Action Committees (PACs) made to school board candidates.  Clearly they feel these will be their likely friends when the tough decisions need to be made.

On the state level, a large amount of MEA PAC contributions go to Democratic candidates, not taking into account the political ideology of its members.

In 2004, NEA president Reg Weaver acknowledged his organizations members "are evenly divided between political parties--one-third Democrat, one-third Republican, and one-third independent," according to this article.  The NEA's chief lobbyist admitted as much on their own website.  MEA members that do not support their union's liberal agenda can 1. demand a more balanced approach to their group's giving or 2. do not support its political action committee.

The following is a chart which shows the percentage breakdown to state level candidates and entities, including political parties, legislative caucuses, state representative and senator, attorney general, secretary of state, governor and lt. governor, and state supreme court.  The evidence clearly shows a bias towards the Democratic Party.  Case in point: on August 16, 2006, the MEA PAC contributed $250,000 to the Michigan Democratic Party.  The total to the party itself in 2006 was over $751,000 and consistently earns itself a seat on the Democratic Party’s executive committee.

The coordination with the Michigan Democratic Party is clear.  On October 16, 2006, the MEA received a "Phone Bank Deposit" (see page 68 of 148) from the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee to the tune of $35,000 for likely use of MEA facilities to turn out voters for their party's candidates.

MEA president Iris Salters and Governor Jennifer Granholm

on the governor's plane, spring 2008

More recently, they sent out a mailing to all MEA members extoling the virtues of a Barack Obama presidency.

Regarding a recall intiative against House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.), director of government operations Ed Sarpolus, told MIRS May 9, 2008 (regarding Gov. Jennifer Granholm stumping for Dillon), "At the end of the day you'd want anyone involved with the Democratic Party working to defeat the recall. So it wouldn't just be her alone . . . it should be everyone."  Regardless of what one thinks of the recall, Sarpolus's commentary is telling of which side the MEA instinctively falls on.

Below is a list of current legislators, how much their campaign committees and/or leadership PACs have taken from the MEA PAC and how they voted on Senate Bill 418—now Public Act 106 of 2007. SB 418 was the most notable reform legislation which allows school districts to obtain anonymous claims data for bidding purposes.  To say the MEA and MESSA vehmently opposed it would be an understatement.  The amounts reflect contributions received since January 1, 2004.

The MEA cavorts with a decidedly liberal crowd, as well.  The Lansing chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union uses MEA offices to hold their monthly meetings.   The National Education Association has given well over $500,000 to the fringe group People for the American Way (according to Lieberman’s book) and over $250,000 to the radical ACORN organization, according to the Center for Union Facts.