CWA Joins Thousands in Rally Against Anti-Worker Budget in Michigan

Red-shirted CWAers turned out in huge numbers this week to rally at Michigan's statehouse with thousands of other citizens outraged by Gov. Rick Snyder's radical budget proposals.

CWAers joined with thousands of union members, students, senior citizens and working families in Lansing, Mich., this week to rally against devastating budget proposals that would slash vital services, raise taxes on those who can least afford it and give a $1.8 billion tax break to businesses.

Republican Gov. Rick Snyder seeks to raises taxes on low-income families, tax workers' pensions for the first time, and take $900 million away from education, programs for people in need and other services. That's on top of the new law he signed last month that cuts jobless benefits from 26 weeks to 20 weeks.

Especially controversial is the scheme that would allow the governor to literally declare financial "martial law" in a city or school district and give officials sweeping power to fire elected officials, break teachers' and other public workers' contracts, seize and sell assets, and eliminate services. All of it could occur without any input from the public.

CWA and other unions set up tents at the rally where citizens could register to vote and sign up for lobbying visits with lawmakers.