Dearborn Firefighters to Join Lansing Protest Against Binding Arbitration Repeal

Several of Dearborn’s firefighters are boarding a bus Wednesday morning to join planned protests of a bill that would repeal the 42-year-old law that requires binding arbitration to resolve labor disputes between police and fire unions and local governments.

Known as Public Act 312, binding arbitration allows police officers and firefighters to seek settlement of contracts by an independent third party. The decision of the arbitrator is nonnegotiable. The law was enacted in 1969 to save state residents, public safety employees and local governments from protracted labor disputes while ensuring that fire and police staff could not go on strike.

But HB 4205, introduced Feb. 8 by Rep. Joe Haveman (R-Holland), would repeal the act.

Bruce Hamilton, president of the 120-member Dearborn firefighters union, is among the firefighters heading to the state capital to let Haveman and other proponents of the repeal know they are not in support of it.

“We’re obviously against repealing Public Act 312 because it’s been successful, and it’s something that protects us,” he said.

Hamilton explained that the union's concern wasn't necessarily the city's current political leadership, but the assurance that no matter who they were working with, they'd be protected.

“We work in a situation where we work under different political administrations–we change leadership," he said. "Let’s say we get a mayor or someone that does not respect public safety, and we’ve put 15 years into our jobs. We could have negotiations that go on forever without any recourse or any incentive to settle.”

Hamilton said he believes the act will undermine employees who work hard and don’t make a tremendous amount of money. “If (Public Act 312) is repealed," he insisted, "we will go from collective bargaining to collective begging."

Dearborn's fire and police unions are supported by former city councilman and current state Rep. George Darany (D-Dearborn), who at on Feb. 19. There, he and several other representatives spoke out against the repeal, and asked Michigan fire and police unions to rally in Lansing Wednesday and possibly Thursday, depending on when the bill was discussed.

Jason Griffin, the operations director for House Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas (R-Midland), said Tuesday the bill would come up for testimony Wednesday, but that a vote was unlikely.

Hamilton said firefighters unions have been told by the International Association of Firefighters that there is a good chance the act will be repealed based on Republican majorities in both the Michigan Senate and House. A large amount of Republican support of the repeal is based on the fact that they believe binding arbitration and the contracts it results in are too costly to cities that are already dealing with extreme budget cuts.

Rep. Haveman told Grand Rapids talk radio station AM 1230 Feb. 8 that the act created "disproportionate (wage) increases for police and fire over other employees," because, according to him, the binding arbitration favors unions and adds a high cost burden to city governments.

"It's just not sustainable," he said.

There’s virtually no chance that Republican Gov. Rick Snyder would veto the repeal.

A total repeal could have major repercussions for public safety workers, many of whom believe PA 312 arbitration provides continuity and certainty when political sands shift.

“I think you’ll see the quality of candidates seeking (police and fire) jobs go down (if the act is repealed),” Hamilton said. “There just aren’t a lot of people who can do this sort of work day after day without stability.”

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