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MEMORANDUM

TO: MEA Local Leaders, MEA Board, MEA-Retired & MEA Staff
FROM: Steven B. Cook, MEA President
DATE: June 10, 2015
RE: Mackinac Center Campaign

Beware: The Mackinac Center—a shadowy anti-public educator organization funded by corporate special interests—has begun its summer campaign to separate you from your union and attack your collective bargaining rights. Interestingly, this time they chose to use taxpayer-funded school emails to send their “message.”

The Mackinac Center has somehow persuaded its new media darling, Mary Davenport, who works in the Lansing School District, to “speak out” against MEA. The Mackinac Center has coached Ms. Davenport to repeat many of its tired and refuted attacks on MEA, then go on to say that the services MEA provides are not worth the dues and you should consider opting out.

It’s important to have a factual discussion of the many services that MEA has provided to Ms. Davenport. Despite her false claims, our organization has gone above and beyond to help Ms. Davenport. Frankly, we’re proud of the services we’ve provided to Ms. Davenport and every member of our union.

Here’s what we’ve done specifically for Ms. Davenport:

- Since 2003, MEA has provided legal representation to Ms. Davenport regarding multiple claims in multiple forums.
- MEA has provided her with no fewer than four attorneys to represent her.
- MEA has spent more than $160,000 representing Ms. Davenport in her claims.
- MEA has won approximately $65,000 in cash settlements for Ms. Davenport.
- Local UniServ directors and local association leadership have spent countless hours to address grievances filed on her behalf.

Despite all of the work we’ve done for Ms. Davenport, she has filed multiple duty of fair representation claims against MEA. MEA has spent more than $14,000 defending our union against those claims. All of the claims were dismissed. That’s her right, and it never stopped us from fighting for her, just as we would (and do) for any member.

MEA is committed to serving the teachers, education support professionals and higher education employees who comprise our union—including Ms. Davenport. The facts show that for her and the Mackinac Center to assert otherwise is another, in a long list, of blatant lies.

The fact is, MEA members receive numerous advantages for their careers, for their rights, for their wallets, and for public education. If you ever have any questions about the advantages of MEA membership, please call MEA’s Help Center toll-free at 866-MEA-HELP (866-632-4357) or e-mail [email protected].

Staff! Please join faculty at the picket tonight before the JC board meeting! Please come and show your support for them as they did for our picket. Meet in the Bert Walker parking lot at 5 p.m.

Staff! Please plan on coming Monday, December 9 and picket with faculty before the JC Board Meeting! Please show your support for them, as they did for us! Details will be posted soon and where and when to meet!

Interesting article...

"If things don't change with regard to student enrollment patterns, we're probably looking at a reduction next year," said Dan Phalen (sic), President of Jackson College.

http://www.wlns.com/story/23518631/jackson-college-layoffs #.UkRpSwcpKtE.email

Jackson College President Shares New Plan "If things don't change with regard to student enrollment patterns, we're probably looking at a reduction next year," said Dan Phalen, President of Jackson College.

“We have been able to leave personnel untouched up to now, but not this time,” Phelan said.

In October 2012... 14 support personnel were given layoff notices...

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/09/jackson_college_will_rethink_s.html

Jackson College will rethink student recruitment, programs in effort to stop enrollment declines In his state of the college address, JC President Dan Phelan said the college must rethink what it means to be a community college.

http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Low-Enrollment-at-Jackson-College-Causes-Layoffs-224933322.html

Low Enrollment at Jackson College Causes Layoffs Enrollment at Jackson College (formally Jackson Community College) has been plummeting over the past few years, and it's beginning to issue layoffs.

Praying for our JC members and family hit by layoffs...

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2013/09/layoff_notices_going_out_to_17.html

Layoff notices going out to 17 Jackson College employees as a result of declining enrollment The 14 full-time and three part-time positions come from the college's central campus, north campus and Hillsdale and Lenawee county centers.