Michigan

Sysco Racks Up 79 Violations Over Union Vote

November 1, 2017 Shandra Martinez, mlive.com Educate! Michigan, Unions, Workers Rights and Jobs

By Shandra Martinez for M Live - GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- George Brewster was making a delivery to a Northeast Side bar when he noticed his supervisor parked nearby, watching him. What Brewster didn't know was that his Sysco supervisor was apparently setting him up to lose his temper by hiding Brewster's truck keys under his seat while he was inside the restaurant. This provoked a profanity-laced outburst by Brewster, which led to his 2015 firing, according to court documents. The crux of this setup: Brewster had been identified by company management as a potential Teamsters union organizer. Brewster's firing is among 79 labor practice violations made by Sysco leading up to a failed 2015 union vote, concluded Michael Rosas, an administrative law judge with the National Labor Relations Board, following a hearing last year. Most of the violations involve the company threatening, intimidating and unlawfully punishing workers during an organizing campaign. The judge ordered the country's largest food distributor to reinstate Brewster, stop threatening employees and immediately begin negotiating a contract with the Grand Rapids-based Teamsters Local 406.

Bigoted, Unprofessional Police Chief Backed By Governor

October 13, 2017 William Boardman, www.readersupportednews.org Educate! Government, Michigan, Police, Police abuse

By William Boardman for Reader Supported News - This is an unsurprisingly nasty internet meme that was publicly shared by the director of the Michigan State Police on her Facebook page on Sunday, September 24. Director Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue apparently gave no thought to her pre-packaged, knee-jerk reaction to NFL players kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police treatment of African Americans in America. Col. Etue was apparently unprepared for the intense reaction to her casual castigation of fellow citizens, predominantly black athletes, acting on principle. A Michigan State Police spokesperson actually asserted that Col. Etue’s slanderous social media post was “not about race” — even though the issue wouldn’t exist without a racist justice system that allows cops (mostly white) to kill unarmed, innocent black people without suffering significant consequences. Roughly two days after the posting, Col. Etue issued a brief, substance-free non-apology apology for it, posted on the Michigan State Police website (not on Facebook): It was a mistake to share the message on Facebook and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended. I will continue my focus on unity at the Michigan State Police and in communities across Michigan.

Menominee Tribe Seeks Stricter Federal Oversight In Michigan Mine Fight

September 4, 2017 Brian Bienkowski, www.truth-out.org Resist! Michigan, Mining

By Brian Bienkowski for Truth Out - In its continued fight against a mine near sacred waters, the Menominee Indians of Wisconsin want stronger federal regulations to apply as officials weigh the final permit for mine approval. At issue is the Back Forty mine, a proposed 83-acre open pit gold, zinc and copper mine in the southwestern corner of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The mine would sit within 150 feet of the Menominee River, which forms the Michigan-Wisconsin border -- and is namesake for the Menominee Tribe across the border in Wisconsin. Environmental Health News highlighted the Menominee's fight last year in "Sacred Water," a national look at how culturally significant water resources -- both on and off reservation -- get sullied, destroyed, defaced by activities often happening beyond Native Americans' control. The mine was on track for approval but has been stagnant, as it still needs one permit -- a wetlands permit -- before beginning operation. The state of Michigan has controlled permitting to this point. This week the Menominee tribe asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to take over authority for the wetland permit under Clean Water Act rules. Menominee tribal member Burton Warrington said the Clean Water Act -- specifically section 404(G) -- allows for states or tribes to take over permitting control, but that doesn't mean all waterways.

With A Michigan City Fighting Back, DHS Pushes A Controversial Deportation Forward

July 24, 2017 Maryam Saleh, www.theintercept.com Resist! Deportations, Immigration, Michigan

By Maryam Saleh for The Intercept - IN THE FACE of intense community opposition, immigration officials are vowing to push ahead with plans to deport a 20-year Ann Arbor, Michigan, resident. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ordered Lourdes Salazar-Bautista, 49, to leave the country by August 2. The local community and elected officials have rallied in support of the mother of three, but ICE spokesperson Khaalid Walls told The Intercept that the agency will not back down. “In a current exercise of discretion, the agency has allowed her to remain free from custody while timely finalizing her departure plans,” Walls wrote in a statement. “ICE focuses its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security. However, as Secretary Kelly has made clear, ICE will not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention, and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.” The Mexican native says she’s not done fighting. “I’m not a threat to this country,” said Salazar-Bautista, choking back tears during a vigil at St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor on Tuesday evening, broadcast on Facebook live.

Commissioner Vows To Stand In Front Of Bulldozers To Stop Gas Pipeline

July 4, 2017 Ryan Stanton, www.mlive.com Resist! Michigan, Pipelines, Protests

By Ryan Stanton for M Live - ANN ARBOR, MI - Citizens opposed to construction of the ET Rover natural gas pipeline, particularly the route it would take through lakeside areas in western Washtenaw County up to Livingston, are still trying to stop the project, and local officials are with them. As the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Wednesday night, June 28, reiterating its opposition to the project, at least one county commissioner said she's willing to stand in front of bulldozers if it comes to that. "There was a huge government failure here," said Commissioner Michelle Deatrick, D-Superior Township, who brought forward the resolution the board approved 7-0. "There was a regulatory failure at the federal level," she said, speaking to the many pipeline opponents in the audience. "I pledge myself to continue to fight with you, to raise up your voices, to do everything that a local government official and environmental activist can do, speaking truth to power in Washington, D.C., and to stand with you, if necessary, in front of bulldozers."

Protesters Arrested For Blocking Traffic In Downtown Grand Rapids

April 22, 2017 Dominick Mastrangelo, www.mlive.com Resist! Michigan, Protesters Arrested, Protests

By Dominick Mastrangelo for Michigan Live - Following several warnings, police say, a 64-year-old male, a 40-year-old male and a 49-year-old female were all arrested on charges of Impeding Traffic and Resisting and Obstructing. The group was demonstrating on behalf of an organization called "Movimiento Cosecha GR" which seeks undisputed protection for immigrants in the city. They staged a march from Calder Plaza to the nearby federal building at the intersection of Michigan and Ottawa. "They knew this was a possibility," said Cynthia Quintana, who spoke on behalf of the group. "(Those who got arrested) are our allies. These actions need to happen so that we can get attention from people." Immigration has been a hot topic not just nationwide, but specifically in West Michigan. Last month, 600 people participated in a Day Without Immigrants demonstration in Grand Rapids. About 40 people participated in the protest that at one point blocked traffic attempting to merge onto Ottawa Avenue from 1-196. "We were trying to send a message," Quintana said. "We're trying to say that we are happy people. We are peaceful people."

Enbridge’s Kalamazoo River Oil Spill Settlement Greeted By Flood Of Criticism

February 11, 2017 David Hasemyer, www.insideclimatenews.org Resist! Michigan, Oil Spill, Settlements

By David Hasemyer for Inside Climate News - After considering and rejecting nearly all public suggestions for penalizing Enbridge over the largest ever oil spill into an inland U.S. waterway, federal authorities are asking a judge to approve a settlement negotiated with the Canadian pipeline company. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency are seeking the court's approval to assess a $61 million fine and require more than $100 million in safety improvements by the company. If approved, the settlement would close the books on the federal government's oversight of the massive 2010 oil spill that fouled a 40-mile stretch of Michigan's Kalamazoo River. The company's $1.2 billion cleanup effort took nearly five years.

Michigan Pot Legalization Takes Double Blow; Vows To Fight On

June 8, 2016 Phillip Smith, www.alternet.org Create! Marijuana Legalization, Michigan

By Phillip Smith for AlterNet - Efforts to let Michiganders vote on legalizing marijuana this year suffered a one-two punch from the state's political establishment today, but organizers are unbowed and are vowing to keep up the fight to get their initiative on the ballot. The campaign is led by the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Committee, also known as MI Legalize.

Enbridge Now Expects $55 Million Fine for Michigan Oil Spill

May 5, 2016 David Hasemyer, www.insideclimatenews.org Resist! Corporations, Michigan, Oil Spill

By David Hasemyer for Inside Climate News - The potential fine Enbridge, Inc. expects for spilling more than 1 million gallons of tar sands oil into Michigan's Kalamazoo River in 2010 continues to creep higher and now is estimated at $55 million. The Canada-based company revealed the revised estimate earlier this week in a quarterly disclosure filing with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It cautions investors that the ultimate fine eventually imposed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency could cost the company even more.

Flint Families File Class-Action Lawsuit

March 9, 2016 Timothy Cama, www.thehill.com Resist! Flint, Lawsuit, Michigan, Water Pollution

By Timothy Cama for The Hill - Seven families in Flint, Mich., filed a federal lawsuit seeking damages from the city and state over the lead-contaminated drinking water crisis. The families are seeking class-action status from the court to cover any children poisoned by lead that leached into water due to the 2014 switch in Flint’s water source, NBC News reported Monday. Flint resident Melissa Lightfoot told NBC her three children had no health problems before the water switch, and now all three have dangerously high lead levels in their blood.

Michigan House Democratic Leader Calls For Gov. Snyder To Resign

March 3, 2016 Brian McVicar, www.mlive.com Resist! Government, Michigan, Water

By Brian McVicar for Michigan Live - House Democratic leader Tim Greimel called on Gov. Rick Snyder to resign Wednesday, saying the Ann Arbor Republican showed "negligence and indifference" in his handling of the Flint water crisis. Greimel, pointing to information contained inthousands of pages of emails Snyder's office has released in recent weeks, said it is "inconceivable" that the governor wasn't aware of mounting concern over the safety of Flint's water prior to October. That's when the state officially acknowledged the water was unsafe to drink and contained high lead levels.

Governor Snyder Could Have Called Flint Emergency ‘At Any Time’

March 1, 2016 Nadia Prupis, www.commondreams.org Educate! Flint, Michigan, State of Emergency

By Nadia Prupis for Common Dreams - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder could have declared a state of emergency in Flint over its water contamination crisis months earlier than he did, according to new emails released Sunday that contradict the governor's defense of his delayed actions. Snyder, who declared a state of emergency in Flint and Genesee County on January 5—months after acknowledging there was lead in the region's public water supply—has repeatedly said he could not take action until local officials made a request, which Genesee County did on January 4.

8 Powerful Moments From Ryan Coogler’s #JusticeForFlint Event

February 29, 2016 Zeba Blay, www.huffingtonpost.com Resist! Flint, Lead Poisoning, Michigan, Water Pollution

By Zeba Blay for The Huffington Post - The most important star-studded event taking place Sunday night wasn't the Oscars -- it was director Ryan Coogler's #JusticeForFlint charity concert. The event, which was held at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Michigan, helped to raise tens of thousands of dollars for residents affected by the Flint water crisis, and provided them with "a night of fun, relaxation, and entertainment." Below are just a few of the stand out moments from the show...

Who Decides: People Power Vs. Non-Elected Emergency Managers

February 27, 2016 Shea Howell, www.conversationsthatyouwillneverfinish.wordpress.com Resist! Flint, Lead Poisoning, Michigan, Water

By Shea Howell for The Boggs Blog - The toxic water in Flint has vividly brought to light the toxic consequences of right wing republican thinking that government should be run like a business. It has also shown us something about the poisoning of our own thinking. It took the poisoning of children to get the majority of people in America to recognize something profoundly ugly has been going on in Michigan. This is because our culture does not do well with complexity. We like our politicians loud, our heroes strong, our victims pure, and our villains beyond redemption.

Will Anyone Be Prosecuted In The Flint Water Crisis?

February 24, 2016 Staff, www.theconversation.com Resist! Flint, Michigan, Water Pollution

By Staff of The Conversation - The headlines were alarming. Traces of cancer-causing contaminants in New Orleans and Pittsburgh public drinking water supplies. Lead from water supply pipes in Boston tap water. In response, in 1974 Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which was designed to protect public drinking water supplies. Forty years later, Congress has passed multiple amendments to the SDWA, and regulatory agencies have adopted complex and lengthy regulations designed to prevent crises like the catastrophe now occurring in Flint, Michigan. But Flint’s water is still undrinkable and dangerous.

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