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Friday, March 18, 2011

Michigan's Teachers Mulling A Strike? #wiunion #miunion #P2 #MadWi #Madunion

Michigan's Teachers Mulling A Strike?
Michigan's Teachers Mulling A Strike?
The Michigan Education Association, in response to proposed cuts from the Snyder administration, is asking members for the authority to initiate job action
Posted: 5:01 PM Mar 18, 2011
Reporter: Liam Martin
Email Address: liam.martin@wilx.com

LANSING -- With another potential education cut looming, teachers are considering desperate measures.

"These attacks and these cuts will be devastating to children, and to schools," said Iris Salters, president of the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union.

It sent out a letter this week to its members, bashing Governor Snyder's plan to slash at least $470 per pupil -- and asking for the authority to call a strike, if that cut goes through.

"The legislation being considered on a daily basis at the Capitol (emergency managers, step freezes, mandatory privatization, mandatory health insurance payments, budget cuts, etc.) are outright attacks on our students, our members, our communities and our future," the letter reads.

It asks members to vote at their local MEA chapters between now and April 14 on whether or not to give the union the "authority to initiate crisis activities up to and including job action."

"[The Republicans] are interested in taking our rights," Salters told News 10 on Friday. "As well as seeing that the next generation does not