On Mon. April 4th, 2011, teachers, firefighters, nurses, graduate students, high school students, socialists, ministers, industrial workers, college professors, teamsters, and janitors all found out they each have a lot in common.
Hundreds gathered at noon in downtown Ann Arbor on Ingalls Mall to protest Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s budget proposal and recent attacks on unionized labor. With proposed slashes in funding to many public institutions such as schools and firehouses, as well as recent union-busting legislation, many groups met for an afternoon of public protest.
It is no coincidence that this day marked the 43rd anniversary of the day legendary social-justice activist Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN. The protest, organized by the ‘We Are One’ organization, set this date as a national day of protest as a continuation of the work done by the late Rev. King.
Many in the crowd dawned dark red ‘M Labor’ t-shirts, and held signs with slogans such as ‘Our Schools Aren’t for Sale,’ ‘Some Cuts Never Heal’, and ‘Don’t Rob Children to Pay Executives’.
The main cause for protest was the Gov. Snyder’s proposed budget for 2012-13, which includes a tax-break for big business worth 1.7 billion dollars. Among many institutions cut, the budget removes $453 per-pupil across the State of Michigan from the public school budget. For AAPS, that adds 7 million dollars to its deficit.
Another major rallying cry was against Emergency Finance Manager legislation, which can allow the Michigan State Treasurer to appoint EFMs to replace local government officials in any municipality deemed failing financially, and have the ability to alter or remove existing contracts and act as the sole agent in collective bargaining. EFM legislation has already been passed.
While dozens of organizations and causes were represented, a strong theme of many of the speakers was the importance of bonding together for a common goal.
“We are a family,” said Brit Satchwell, president of the Ann Arbor Education Association teacher’s union to the crowd. As he called on each group represented at the rally to cheer, he said, “I always knew when it comes and hits the fan like this, we’d meet all kinds of new family members.”
Craig Ferris, an Ann Arbor firefighter advocating for worker’s rights said, “We’re all here because we work for a living. And we deserve to get paid for a living.” Ferris was met with enormous applause.
Other speakers included Ann Arbor school board Trustee Christine Stead, president of the Lecturers’ Employee Organization Bonnie Halloran, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church Rodrick Green, and many other workers union leaders, U-of-M students and activists, and public service sector employees.
Following the speakers, the protest continued onto the sidewalks of downtown Ann Arbor and relocated to Liberty Plaza, where passing cars blew their horns in solidarity – including a Federal U.S. Mail truck – as organizers led songs and chants. The protest ended with a very clear message to Gov. Snyder. “Hey everybody, let’s get tough/’cause inside the mitten there’s a fist balled up!”
In response to claims that teachers are overpaid employees who benefit from a broken down system, one speaker said “Good teachers changed my life, and continue to change the lives of my kids.”
