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 

Occupy Wall Street Gets Personal

The October 11 Millionaires March which began at Central Park stopped at the homes of J.P. Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, oil tycoon David Koch, financier Howard Milstein, hedge fund maven John Paulson, and CEO News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch. A symbolic check for $5 billion was left at each home, the size of the impending state tax cut for New Yorkers making $250,000 and more. The march was organized by the Working Families Party, New York Communities for Change, Strong Economy for All, United NY, and members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. It went off without incident. The police were very polite. Some of the doormen showed solidarity with the marchers, but the reaction in the neighborhood was mixed. While many residents stepped aside and took photographs, others seemed bewildered.

The March was so popular that organizers have called for another one on October 12 to Chase Bank's New York office to question why New York State is giving Chase a new tax cut next year. As the marchers made their way back to Zuccotti Park, the police moved into the crowd and made four arrests.

Protest in front of Chase Plaza

This Saturday, October 15, a third action targeting Chase is planned. The Occupy Wall Street website calls the event "Chase's Money Is Ours! Chase Bank uses our money to make profits, but we don't have to let them! Come support Chase customers CLOSING THEIR ACCOUNTS," OWS states.

Events now are being coordinated on a global level via social media. The Occupy Wall Street movement is becoming an international presence.

Many will be watching tomorrow early AM when the police will try to move the people out of the park to clean up. The protestors have called for reinforcements and have no intention of facing what they call an eviction. To see more images check out my set on flickr

Policeman in the crowd at John Paulson's home

Protesters Gather in Central Park

 Protestors in front of Rupert Murdoch Residence

Holly Van Voast, a topless activist  marches on the Millionaire March

Protestors in march passed the Guggenheim Museum

Participant in the  Occupy Wall Street movement arrested 

Participant in the Occupy Wall Street movement arrested 

Occupying Wall Street

Sign in Liberty Plaza on Day 10 of Occupy Wall Street

The police brutality against protestors participating in the Occupy Wall Street Movement has been appalling. Our political leaders take foreign leaders to task for human rights violations abroad, so to see them in America disturbed me. In Cairo, when the protests began, I could sense the significance of what was happening in Tahrir Square. (See my coverage here ) Though comparing Tahrir Square to Liberty Plaza is a stretch, I believe it is significant none the less. The Wall St. protesters have remained in the plaza, no easy feat when facing a massive police presence. With each passing day, the Occupy Wall Street movement (AKA We Are the 99%) is growing. The social injustice and corruption in the American political system and the destructiveness of corporate greed is not a message those in charge want to hear.

If the police's goal was to intimidate the protesters, that hasn't happened. Manhandling protesters on 9/24 while video and still cameras recorded police brutality only empowered the group. Maybe those in charge haven't grasped  the power of social media, the spirit that fueled the Arab Spring. Predictably the protesters' resolve strengthened and their movement gained credibility once the media was forced to recognized what was going on. I am one of many who came to NYC to document Occupy Wall Street after seeing protestors pepper-sprayed and arrested.  The eyes of the world are on NYC

now.

Some say the protesters are the Left's answer to the Tea Party. How refreshing to hear voices from another side. There is no single voice in Liberty Plaza and seemingly all the voices there are welcomed.The movement is gaining momentum as protests spread to other cities . Well known personalities are showing up, including Michael Moore and Cornel West, both of whom praised the protestors and thanked them for standing up to the powers that be and starting a much needed movement whose goal is social and economic justice.

Watching people practice free speech whether or not I agree with what they are saying or not reminds me how valuable free speech is. More coverage to follow in the coming days as the protest continues. 

See a video clip of Michael Moore speaking to Fox News reporter, here chiding him for not understanding capitalism.

Michael Moore Talking to Fox Reporter on Day 10

Cornel West tells the crowd not being afraid to say the word "Revolution" and thanking the protesters.
And a clip of West talking about how out of touch Geithner and Paulson are, how frightening this unpredictable gathering of people of all races and sexual orientations is to them.
See a photo slide show from my first day on the scene on the Atlantic Wire shot on day ten. And more images on Occupy Wall Street flickr set.

Protestors March on Wall Street

Police stand on the sidewalk of Liberty Square

Cornel West on Day 11 of Occupy Wall Street

One of many signs at Liberty Plaza

Protestors March around Wall Street on Day 10

Protestors March Through Wall Street on Day 10 

Will she run or won't she? Sarah Palin is still keeping people guessing.

At the Iowa Tea Party's September 3rd Restoring America rally, about 2,000 people braved the rain to hear former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin speak. She sharply lashed out at President Obama and at "more of the same." Her fans cheered, intermittently shouting out for her to "Run, Sarah, run."

I asked Judd Saul, the Tea Party of America media relations representative, about the lower than expected turnout. "It wasn't the rain that kept folks away, it was activist Peter Singleton, who spread rumors the rally in Indianola, Iowa, had been canceled. Emails and blogs stated Palin would be a no show at the event. It came down to the Tea Party vs. Sarah Palin's party, that was unhappy with this event because they lacked control." Other rumors claimed that Christine O’Donnell invited herself to the rally and was told she was welcome. In fact, O’Donnell was disinvited because the Palin camp didn't want to share the venue with her.

At Strong America Now's tent, tee shirts were given to those who signed a petition calling on candidates to take a Tea Party fiscal responsibility training class if they wanted to be endorsed by the Tea Party. From various voices in the crowd: "The only hot air coming out of the plant is from Al Gore's ass," "Vegetarians are whimps because they don't have to hunt down the prey" and "Democrats are ruining the country by taking god out of everything." According to one woman's tee shirt. "If you love guns, babies and Palin, the Tea Party is for you,"

After Palin's made her speech, she mixed with the crowd, holding babies, hugging supporters, signing books, tee shirts and whatever else was passed her way. Up next for Palin, New Hampshire, where her appearance raises further questions as to whether or not she'll run for President in 2012.

In Honor of Primo, a New Orleans Police Dog

Today in New Orleans there was a memorial for Primo, a police dog who died on May 27th. He was left in a vehicle by his handler on an 88 degree day; he ripped the interior of the vehicle up, struggling to get out. The dog suffered a number of seizures, and heat shock. Primo’s temperature was 109.8 before he died. Primo’s handler has been transferred out of the K-9 unit. This is the third K-9 death in New Orleans this year. Now all three are under investigation. Here is a link to the story that has images of the car's interior from the Times Picayune ( warning disturbing images): http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/heat_killed_police_dog_left_in.html

In Primo's honor I'm posting another story from Iraq on other service dogs.

To see a video dispatch Phin Percy Jr. and I created with John Snell for Fox 8, New Orleans click here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYXRzFwXI9c

On March 5, 2009, on Camp Victory I met bomb-sniffing dog Rain, and his handler Corporal Perkins. Perkins had Rain run through the training course before bringing out the rest of the training dogs and their handlers. The dogs are trained to find IEDs (improvised explosive devices) without setting them off. Still, setting them off remains a threat to both the dog and the handler, as do snipers who try to eliminate them while they are on the job. Rain found 17 IEDs on his first deployment in Afghanistan. His work has saved countless lives.

The unit lost one team in Iraq. Seargant Cooper, another canine, and Corporal Wiens, his handler were killed by an IED on July 6, 2007. Copper's kennel was turned into a shrine. Cooper’s collar and Wien’s backpack, sit on top of the empty kennel, a reminder of the dangers the unit faces

Wall Street crashes as bailout plan is voted down

Today at noon there was a rally near the stock exchange. Jesse Jackson spoke to a crowd of 500. He called for “More Roosevelt and Obama not Bush and McCain.” While the rally was going on, the market was crashing in what turned out to be the biggest drop of points in a single day. I got into the Stock Exchange and shot from the visitors’ observation deck before the final bell range. The mood didn’t seem particularity down, I think the brokers are getting used to things crashing.Outside I took pictures of the brokers as they left the building. The press treated the brokers the way paparazzi treat Paris Hilton. The brokers for the most part weren’t amused and some acted like perps I photographed when stopped by the National Guard. Anyone who was willing to speak was surrounded by cameras. TV crews anxious for information. Most expressed their surprise and disappointment that the house didn’t pass the bailout plan. What it means I’m not sure but after reading Naomi Klein’s Disaster Capitalism, I’m glad the warning Bush put out that bailout has to happen fast isn’t being heeded. I want the politicians voting to take time to understand what it is they are voting for or against before they act.