Michigan Teachers Protest Snyder’s Court Appeal of Retirement Benefit Case
School workers paid three percent of their salaries between 2010 and 2012, creating a $550 million fund.
Teachers in Detroit use #StopTheAppeals to protest Gov Snyder’s effort to return 3% retirement contribution @wdet pic.twitter.com/ZU1YxKDg3t
— Eli Newman (@other_eli) August 3, 2016
Teachers across Michigan came out yesterday to protest Governor Rick Snyder’s attempt to keep funds they say were unfairly taken from them. The school worker unions argue that nearly $550 million was taken unlawfully from their paychecks between 2010 and 2012. Teachers in Michigan were contributing three percent of their salaries to a retirement healthcare fund, but union representatives say that money is not guaranteed for the 200,000 employees who paid into the fund. In July, the Michigan Court of Appeals found the law requiring the contributions unconstitutional. Now, Snyder will try to appeal a court decision that ruled in favor of the educators and orders the state pay back the balance. Ivy Bailey is the Interim President of the Detroit Federation of Teachers. She says she doesn’t think Snyder’s appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court will succeed.
“Already two courts have ruled that it’s unconstitutional. I mean, if it’s unconstitutional, it’s unconstitutional. What’s going to make that change?”
Ivy Bailey, Interim President of the Detroit Federation of Teachers
Snyder will move forward with the process without the help of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, who opposes the appeal.
