The Right To Work Bill Signed Into Law As Unions Protest In MI

On Tuesday, December 11th, Michigan governor Rick Snyder signed the Right to Work bill into law while more than 10,000 union members and supporters protested at the Capitol in Lansing.  Snyder, who had told constituents he wouldn't support the bill, changed his mind only last week,  pushing the legislation through a lame duck house with uncommon speed. Unions put out a call on December 6, urging supporters to come to Lansing to try to stop Snyder.  Twenty-four states already have  Right to Work laws on the books. What happens in Michigan, a historically strong state for unions, may well influence the passage of RIght to Work laws nationwide. 

At a press conference after the day's protests broke up, Snyder claimed the RIght to Work bill is not union busting. Instead he says it's a law that gives people more choices. Workers can still join a union, he pointed out.   But union members claim that Right to Work means lower wages and fewer benefits as it takes away their power since without certain jobs requiring union membership their numbers and power will dwindle. They fear the rights, benefits and protections that unions have championed for decades will disappear as has happened in the  states that have adopted the law.  (see link here )  Union member David Sweet explained, " The Right to Work law is wrong. Unions created the middle class and without unions, we will lose it. People have to realize that Unions set workers standards. We set wages. Without us wages will get lower." according to the UAWs website 'The bill reverse decades of balanced labor law in Michigan, which has yielded stable industrial relations, good middle-class jobs, and broadly shared prosperity.  Studies have shown that workers in so-called “right to work” states earn an average of $1,500 less annually. 

Protesters sat down in the middle of the Capitol's rotunda in an act of civil disobedience after the signing of the bill took place. Reverend Jesse Jackson, Michigan senator Gretchen Whitmer and Lansing mayor Virg Bernero made brief statements in support of the unions before joining the protesters. Outside there were two separate incidents where police officers used mace, and one brawl between a person from the Americans for Prosperity and an anti-Right to Work protester. Three arrests were made. James P. Hoffa lawyer and president of the Teamsters was also on hand. He said that this law is a major step backwards for everyone and made it clear the fight against Right to Work is not over. Mayor Bernero told me what happened was despicable. "We are in a colossal war between the 99% and the 1% and today the 1% won. The governor represents the 1%,  but we will be back. In two years a Democrat will be elected and the law will be reversed." 

For more the passing of the Right to Work Law check out my story on the Progressive 's site 

Union Members March in Lansing MI To The State Capitol

Jake Stone, Burner and Boilermakers Union169 and Daryl Honaker, the Operating Engineers Union 324

Union Members and Supporters Protest Against the Right to Work Law at The State Capitol 

Protester Sit in the middle of the State Capitols Routanda 

Jesse Jackson, LLansingMayor Virg Bernero and Michigan Senator Democrat-minority leader, Gretchen Whitmer 

State Police Guard the George W. Romney Building where Snyder's Office is

Krystal Nowicki and Jamie Krystal eat pizza While Protesting the Right to Work Law

Janitor Colleen Baldwin Says it is Too Bad so Much Will Be Taken From Her Grandchildren

Sign in the garbage at the end of a day of Union led protest against the RIght to Work law 

  Dave Sweet a member of a union for 35 years, He say the Right to Work law is wrong  

Protesters in Front of the George W. Romney Building across from the State Capitol

Corey Hake, iron worker in local 25 Union at the RIght to Work Protest

Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan holds a press conference  

A Union member holds a sign with a Christmas message across from the State Capitol 

Anti NATO Protests in Chicago

"Summit ends without giving Chicago a black eye," the May 22 Chicago Tribune proclaimed, but I had one. On Sunday, I was shooting in the midst of a crowd on Michigan Avenue when my camera got smashed against my face as police pushed protestors back, batons swinging. The bruises didn't surface until 48 hours later as I drove away from Chicago. And much of the story of what happened in Chicago is surfacing after the fact too. 

 Police film protester with an "Orwell Was Right"
sign in Grant Park 

The overwhelming police presence on the streets was mind boggling. They were also out in force at every metro stop, waiting on line to use the bathrooms at downtown restaurants. They were everywhere, in their spanking clean uniforms, their shiny new helmets, perfect for photo ops. There were more of them on the streets than protesters, most of the time. You saw them on foot, on horses, Segways, and bicycles (one cop told me they could use some new ones), in SUVs, police cars, helicopters and city buses with LED signs that blinked "Chicago, My Kind of Town." 

Officers were used as human barricades in an effort to keep the demonstrators on main arteries, but when protesters changed course in their uncharted marches they  were permitted to go where they wanted to avoid confrontation, as long as they didn't try to get too close to McCormick Place where the NATO summit and many of the dignitaries were staying. On the surface things seemed calm and almost cozy, compared with some of the battles between demonstrators and police in New York City. It certainly seemed like democracy in action on the streets of Chicago. In fact, what happened to demonstrators and indie media types away from the main action was something else, as reported by Natasha Lennard in her story "Chicago's Fishy Arrests"  and Ryann Devereaux's story about Chicago police accused of targeting journalists . 

Police superintendent Garry McCarthy claims the number of protesters was no more than 3,000 and that Occupy Chicago's protest ultimately failed. If that is the case, what's his explanation for the overkill in police power, both visible and invisible (undercover agents and surveillance teams)? Who's to blame for the failure to assess what was needed for crowd control beforehand and the waste of so much money, both federal or local. Were journalists who were detained a threat to homeland security or was a man who carried a sign that said "George Orwell was right" on to something?


My first dispatch about the NATO summit protests on the Atlantic's web site here.  It's an overview of what I saw on the days leading up to and the first day of the summit.

Click here to see a line of cops as far as the eye can see on Michigan Ave, keeping watch on about 200 protesters who were hanging out in Grant Park. and here to see Cops boarding a Chicago City bus and a man holding a "George Orwell was right" being filmed by the police here- 

To see more of my images on the Anti-NATO protests check out the selection syndicated through Corbis.  AND check out a set of over 200 shots on flickr 

Chicago is......

Police Disperse Crowd That refuses to leave by pushing/hitting
people with billy clubs

Chicago Police in Shinny New Riot Gear

Woman at Anti NATO protest in CHicago

New Orleans Corporate Day of Action Focuses on BP as the BP Oil Spill Trial Is Postponed

On February 29, 2012, the New Orleans contingent of the Occupy Wall Street movement participated in the nationwide Corporate Day of Action by protesting against a possible BP settlement in front of the Federal Courthouse. Activists joined in a mock funeral for the Gulf. The trial, scheduled to begin on February 27th, was delayed by Judge Carl Barbier for a week in hopes a settlement can be reached. If a trial comes to pass, it could take over a year to complete since there are multiple plaintiffs suing BP after the largest oil spill in American history. The protesters are against a settlement. They want the case to be heard in court so it will be public record. Cherri Foylin, a Plaquemines Parish environmental activist, thinks Gulf Coast residents need a seat at the table or at least in the courtroom and doesn't trust that an equitable settlement can be reached behind closed doors. Darla Rooks, a shrimper who came to the protest in her fishing boots, fears that the the real damage done to the environment and the health of Gulf Coast residents will never be known if there is a settlement. Protest organizer Elizabeth Cook said she believes all settlements made under the Obama administration have favored corporations and that everyone needs to see and hear the evidence prepared for this trial. During the protest, Kindra Arnesen held up pictures of people and animals sickened since the spill, a man dressed as tent monster danced in front of the courthouse entrance and others made sure those who drove down Poydras Street knew the Occupy movement's presence in New Orleans hasn't gone away. To see more pictures check out a set on Flickr 

Industrial Incident Causes Massive Fish Kill in Louisiana

Another industrial incident takes a toll on the environment in Louisiana. The Temple-Inland paper mill in Bogalusa has taken responsibility for a fish kill in Pearl River and its tributaries stemming from an incident that began over a week ago. Attached are images I shot on Aug. 18 and 19th of the fish kill and the cleanup.

The paper mill knew they had a problem when they exceeded their limit of allowable discharge into the Pearl River. They didn't report the incident to DEQ ( Department of Environmental Quality) immediately, nor did they stop production. When they did cease operation, enough black liquor, a byproduct of the paper-making process, was released into the river to cause a major kill of fish including carp, drum catfish, eels , sardines and the endangered sturgeon, shellfish and turtles along 40 miles of river. By the end of this weekend, most of the dead fish have been picked up. Water fouled by chemicals that caused oxygen depletion have been flushing out into bigger bodies of water--first into the Rigolets and from there into Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne, which both connect to the Gulf of Mexico. Damage to the Rigolets and the lakes is being monitored by the DEQ and other concerned parties. On the August 20, crabbers reported pulling up hundreds of traps full of dead crabs ( see local news report here  ) .
To see more images this link is to a set on Flickr  .
To see a video clip click here.
Nature's resiliency is remarkable. Though the tributary I documented was full of death, the maggots were very much alive, feasting on the fish carcasses. The Pearl River and other bayous I explored had signs of life returning, despite the black film still present in the water.

On the Ground in Haiti

We landed in Port-au-Prince just as the sun was rising . After getting our bearings and loading the gear onto a truck, we waited for transportation. Waiting is a sub-theme in most things millitary. Along the edges of the runway were pallets loaded with supplies. Civilians from different aid organizations were also waiting around. There was a sea of water bottles, everything from Aquafina to Fiji . Boarding small tourist busses from the Dominican Republic that had a tropical flair, we made our way to a camp known as APOD - Arial Point of Debarkation. Once in our tent we set up cots. I was lent a mosquito net which transformed my cot into a canopy bed of sorts.

The camp is in a state of constant flux. We had to move twice before we had a tent we could call home. Search and rescue teams made the initial set up and left the tents behind in a deal struck by the 3d Sustainment Command Expeditionary. In return for the tent loan, the 3SCE will use their logistic capability to return them. A jumbo tent ( the fusion cell) went up the first day I arrived and was made internet ready. It will serve as the logistical hub for the entire theater. Incoming troops are coming faster than available space to house them is identified, yet everyone is being accommodated.

The tents that serve as living quarters are basic. Inside them it feels like an oven in the daytime. The cots are standard army issue. Mosquitos and spiders share the space. There are Porto-Johns and portable cold water showers with outdoor sinks nearby. There is no kitchen, only MREs for grub and lots of water; the millitary is big on keeping soldiers hydrated. Considering there was nothing here before the earthquake the camp is pretty great.

I accompanied Sgt. Tomas of the 7th Sustainment Brigade to the port and another camp. His driver, Fred, lives in Port-au-Prince and gave us a mini tour enroute. The damage breathtaking; the devastation is mind boggling. I was surprised to see signs of everyday life everywhere. We drove by a bustling outdoor market and the streets were full of traffic. Tent cities all around the city are a reminder that nothing will be normal for a long time to come.

Gulf Coast A Year After Ike

Hurricane Ike, a Category 2 storm, hit the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana on Sept 13, 2008. The storm’s surge flooded the coast and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. According to residents of Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula, just east of Galveston, where Ike hit the hardest, there is no official death count. Crystal Beach wasn’t under an order for mandatory evacuation. No one is sure how many stayed behind or how many were lost. Entire houses disappeared with no trace. Much of the peninsula is still uninhabited. Jean Peshenella showed a friend from New York the slab where his cabin used to be. He sold it six months before the storm and feels very lucky. A few more miles east in Gilchrest, Joan Vogel was shocked to find her home relatively damage free. It was one row of houses in from the coast. Only a handful of homes remain there. The pylons holding the house up were cracked, but her windows didn’t break, so her house didn’t flood. She now has beachfront property. Her insurance company covered the repair, but nothing makes up for her missing neighbors.

As I write, Angela Street in Arabi (just outside of New Orleans) is underwater. A heavy downpour is causing some minor flooding, a reminder of the area's vulnerability. Waiting for approaching storms when you are a property owner is no fun. Coastal erosion has added to the mix of already dangerous conditions for those who inhabit coastal areas
and low lying one’s like New Orleans, a reality one must deal with every hurricane season. Whether one acknowledges the connection between global warming and unstable weather conditions or not, hurricanes are a force to be reckoned with.

Watching people rebuild with the Gulf in their backyard and the ruins of damaged structures dotting the landscape left me scratching my head. Yes, it is nice to live next to the sea, even a polluted one. The Gulf Coast from Galveston to Cameron is polluted with all manner of contaminates. A sign on the beach at the Sabine Pass, where Texas and Louisiana meet, warned not to go into the water due to high levels of unfriendly bacteria. But a few miles further east I found people swimming and catching fish; pollution doesn’t lower peoples' desire to enjoy the sea. Why do people go back after a storm and rebuild? There's no single answer, but the concept of “home” is a common denominator. Sony Meaux of Holly Beach, LA is sixty-five and though he lost his home to Hurricane Rita and then a trailer home to Ike, he and his wife Loretta moved into a new trailer home on his lot. He reopened his seafood shop in a giant freezer and sells crabs and shrimp. He doesn’t know anything else and isn’t planning to ever live anywhere else.

The people I spoke to on Bolivar Peninsula and in Holly Beach are frustrated by new government regulations. Many cannot afford to comply with revised building codes. The new codes call for construction at costs much higher than their homes were worth. The Meaux’s were sent a certified letter saying their power will be cut since their trailer home is now an illegal dwelling. The local government is trying to force them out. Coastal communities that were made up of working and middle class people will now be accessible only to the rich. The rich aren’t any more protected in the event of a storm surge than the poor; though some of the hurricane-proof homes did make it through Ike, most did not. A mobile home can be moved before a storm, so it isn’t in danger. But economic factors dictate what's acceptable these days. If a residence has a license plate on it, the owner doesn’t pay property tax. The Meaux’s aren’t asking FEMA (Sonny says he has yet to meet anyone from FEMA) for money; they have spent their own. If the government would stop trying to regulate them, the rebuilding process would happen much faster. He is convinced the new rules are about economics, not safety.

Ike hit as a Category 2 storm. Nothing is in place to stop nature from whipping up a Category 3, 4 or 5. The big one is still an ominous possibility.

Too see a large range  of images from the Gulf Coast click here- Flickr set 

And to watch and hear what coastal residents have to say about what life for them is like a year after Ike watch these video clips 

Sonny Meaux of Holly Beach , LA who has re opened Meaux's Seafood for a third time

Alice on her slab in Holly Beach, a newcomer who bought land after Hurricane Rita

Jean, former property Owner in Crystal Beach explains what the area was like before the storm