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Legislative Report as of 1/15/2020Posted January 16th, 2020
We are now halfway through the 2019-2020 Michigan legislative session, and if the first year was anything to go by, year two could be a tumultuous one. Last year began with Governor Whitmer calling for a $.45 per gallon fuel tax increase to fully fund road repair and construction. It ended with a budget standoff, an unprecedented use of the line-item veto pen, and a final compromise budget that restored much if not all of the nearly billion dollars in cuts and transfers made by Governor Whitmer. While there were moments of bipartisan collegiality (e.g. no-fault auto insurance reform), much of the year was marked by fighting words.
We enter 2020 with the relationship between the Governor’s office and the Legislature on shaky ground. This is understandable, since the Legislature is controlled by Republicans and the Governor is a Democrat. It will be interesting to watch as we begin the 2020-2021 budget process in February how the two branches will interact. The Governor will present her State of the State Address on Wednesday January 29, and she will present her 2020-2021 Fiscal Year budget proposal on February 6.
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New Member Benefit: The OPEIU Low-Cost Degree Program
Posted December 3rd, 2019
OPEIU has announced a new member benefit, the Low-Cost Degree Program. You can now earn a Bachelors Degree at a fraction of the cost! Read More >>
Check Out the New Union Plus Member Benefit!
Posted October 16th, 2019
Union Plus has announced their new Union Plus Legal Program! Get reliable and affordable advice if you need legal help or have a question. Read More >>
Legislative Report as of 11/26/19
Posted December 2nd, 2019
It’s been a tumultuous two months since the Governor and Legislature settled on a 2020 budget about which no one is happy. The past six weeks have provided little clarity on how the Legislature and Governor will work together moving forward. After the Legislature’s presentation of a finalized budget a mere three days before the end of the fiscal year, and the Governor’s unprecedented use of the line-item veto and administrative board powers, trust is presently a rare commodity in Lansing. Governor Whitmer and Legislative leaders have both proposed their own supplemental budgets that would restore the bulk of the nearly $1 billion that was line-item vetoed on September 30, and there is even some overlap in the proposals. However, with over a month gone by to allow dust to settle, the two sides seem no closer to a compromise agreement on restoring the cuts, let alone on a plan for future road funding.Read More >>
MAGE Scholarship and Student Debt Reduction Winners Selected
Posted September 30th, 2019
On September 7, 2019 during the MAGE Board meeting, seven winners of the $1,000 Scholarship and Student Debt Reduction Awards were selected at random from all entries. Read More >>
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT JOINING MAGE-OPEIU LOCAL 2002
Posted December 28th, 2018
Effective January 1, 2019, non-exclusively represented employees (NEREs) electing to join MAGE-OPEIU Local 2002 and choosing the option of “payroll deduction” must do the following:
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Legislative Report as of October 16, 2019
Posted October 16th, 2019
Budget Vetoes Roil Lansing
The Legislature and Governor Whitmer managed to complete the 2020 budget process and avoid a government shutdown. That is about the most positive thing that can be said about this year’s appropriations process. At the end of September, the people of Michigan witnessed a budget battle that went down to the very last minute, produced a record number of line-item vetoes, saw the unprecedented use of executive power to shift funds from one line to another, and that left over $500 million in General Fund dollars on the table. It also concluded with no deal on long-term road and infrastructure funding.
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Legislative Report as of August 26, 2019
Posted August 27th, 2019
The Michigan House and Senate are returning this week from their summer recess. They have just over a month to reach a budget agreement with Governor Whitmer in order to avoid a government shutdown. The Governor has already announced her desire to have a “Plan B” that would keep the government open even if she and the Legislature cannot reach an agreement on the budget and on road funding by September 30. The next few weeks will tell whether such a plan is needed.
The focus of the Legislature continues to be squarely on the 2020 budget – and just as importantly – whether a significant increase for transportation funding will be included. While the roads are getting 90% of the legislative and media attention, several other questions will also be answered in the next month’s budget debate. These include the future of the Caro Center Psychiatric Hospital, whether the School Aid Fund will continue to be used to pay for higher education, and how deeply some departments may be cut in order to pay to “fix the damn roads.”
More on these issues below.
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Congratulations Parker Millar!
Posted July 8th, 2019
Please join us in congratulating Parker Millar, winner of the 2019 Romeo Corbeil/Gilles Beauregard Summer Camp Scholarship! Parker is the son of MAGE-OPEIU Local 2002 member, Kelly Millar. This is just one more example of why it pays to belong to MAGE-OPEIU Local 2002! Don’t forget to turn in your applications for the MAGE Scholarship/Student Debt Reduction! The application period closes 5PM on the last week day of August.
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Legislative Report as of July 3, 2019
Posted July 8th, 2019
For the last eight years, the Michigan Legislature has been able to finish the upcoming fiscal year budget by June or July. However, for the first time in 8 years we have split partisan power between the Legislature and the Governor. Therefore, House and Senate leaders have decided to hold off before presenting a budget to Governor Whitmer. The deadline for having a budget in place is the beginning of the next fiscal year: October 1, 2019. Because it seems likely that a budgetary showdown will occur between the Legislature and the Governor this year, it is possible that Legislative leaders feel that their hand is strengthened by delaying completion of the budget for as long as possible.
In other news, the debate over the future of the Caro Psychiatric Hospital continues; the Attorney General dismissed legal actions against state employees over the Flint water crisis (although future action is expected); and the Marijuana Regulatory Agency in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is preparing to expand its staff in preparation for implementation of recreational marijuana laws passed on the ballot last November. More on these stories below.
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Legislative Report as of May 2019
Posted May 17th, 2019
The House and Senate have nearly completed their work on their first drafts of the 2020 state budget. They have both decided to scrap Governor Whitmer’s call to increase the gas tax by $.45 per gallon. Instead, they have attempted to reduce General Fund spending across most departments in order to free up more funds to dedicate to road and bridge repair and maintenance. Governor Whitmer has pledged to veto any budget that fails to provide at least $2 billion in new transportation funding, and it is looking more and more like she will be forced to either make good on that threat or back down.
Also this month, the Legislature passed legislation making sweeping changes to Michigan’s Auto No-Fault Insurance laws, and the House is reviewing changes to state and school employee retirement benefits. More on these issues below.
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The MAGE Annual Meeting
Posted March 18th, 2019
MAGE will be hosting its Annual Meeting on Saturday, May 4, 2019 beginning at 10:00 AM. The meeting will be held at the Comfort Inn, 2424 South Mission Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858.
All MAGE members are welcome to attend at their own expense.
If you will be attending the MAGE Annual Meeting, please RSVP by April 5, 2019 to the MAGE office by calling 517-694-3123 or emailing info@mage.org. Legislative Report as of April 2019
Posted April 5th, 2019
The Legislature will return next week from their Spring Recess, and the outlook for next year’s budget discussions is as cloudy as ever. Governor Whitmer’s budget proposal hinges on a $.45 per gallon gas tax increase. While there was little immediate reaction from the Republican-controlled Legislature, their messaging has been slowly coalescing into what could be a complete rejection of that proposal. Without those funds, the Governor’s proposal falls apart. Lansing is eagerly awaiting to see what the Legislature’s alternative might be. Read More >>
Legislative Report as of February 2019
Posted February 15th, 2019
The first month of a new legislative session is coming to a close, and it has been a whirlwind of meeting new legislators, perusing committee assignments, and re-acquainting ourselves with policy makers in new positions. Moreover, the changeover from the Snyder Administration to the Whitmer Administration is moving along slowly but steadily as her cabinet and key staffers have been announced on a piecemeal basis. One of the last department heads to be named was Robert Gordon, the new DHHS Director. Mr. Gordon previously was a member of the Obama Administration where he served as the acting deputy director at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and also as the acting assistant secretary for Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education.
The Governor presented her State of the State address on February 12 in which she made several positive remarks about state workers and their value to Michigan. Her budget presentation will take place in early March, and it will be there where she lays out more detailed specifics about her policy goals.
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Legislative Report as of December 2018
Posted January 2nd, 2019
At the end of every two year legislative session, there is a period after the election results are tallied, but before the new elected officials are sworn into office. This period is known as the Lame Duck session, since it allows recently defeated or term-limited lawmakers to set policy for approximately six weeks. This year, the election results changed the power structure in Lansing starting January 1, and the individuals currently in office took extraordinary steps to cling to that power.
The sheer volume of legislation passed by the Michigan House and Senate over the past month has dwarfed all recent Lame Duck sessions. In fact, the Legislature passed more bills in the last four weeks of session than they had in the previous two years. The pace was so rapid that the House and Senate often worked well into the early morning hours voting on one bill after another. The Legislature finally adjourned on Friday, December 21 at approximately 8am.
Since then, Governor-elect Whitmer has made an increasing number of announcements about her new cabinet choices. She has also stated her intent to keep the Department of Health and Human Services intact, addressing rumors that she might decide to split it again into two separate departments. More on these issues and others below.
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Congratulations Demetrius Starling!
Posted December 17th, 2018
We are proud to report that another MAGE officer has received a Director position in the Department of Health & Human Services. Demetrius has accepted a temporary assignment to Work Out of Class in a Director position overseeing the dual counties of St. Clair and Sanilac.
Demetrius has been serving on the MAGE Board of Directors for many years. “Demetrius has worked tirelessly to assist his fellow MAGE members for many years and he has been a committed, faithful employee of the Department”, said President Quattrin. “It’s always nice to see a sincere, dedicated, conscientious employee get recognized”.
2019 OPEIU Scholarship Application Period Closing Soon!
Posted January 29th, 2019
Enclosed in this article are links to the OPEIU Scholarship applications, rules and regulations. Please remember to complete the application fully, then send to the MAGE office so we can verify for OPEIU that your membership is in good standing. Read on for the link to the applications.
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Lesgislative Report as of Nov. 2018
Posted November 14th, 2018
After a hard-fought election, the next governor of Michigan will be Democrat Gretchen Whitmer. While Democrats made gains in both the House and Senate, Republicans kept their majorities in both chambers. The Legislature is returning to Lansing for the “Lame Duck” session that could include several attempts to make more changes to various pension laws. We may also face attacks on public employee collective bargaining rights as the Republican leaders see the next few weeks as their last chance before a new Democratic administration takes over.Read More >>
$5,000 Signing and Retention Bonus for Nurses
Posted September 17th, 2018
MAGE advocated vociferously for two years before convincing the Civil Service Commission to create a rule paving the way for these bonuses. Read More >>
OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program Application
Posted April 30th, 2019
Attached you will find the rules, regulations and application for the OPEIU 2019 Student Debt Reduction Program. All applications must be sent to MAGE and signed by the MAGE Local 2002 President or Secretary/Treasurer before submission to OPEIU. Any application that is incomplete or unsigned will be returned to the Local Union Office for follow up with the member/application. This may cause the application to be delayed or even denied if it is not timely submitted. More information can be found on the OPEIU Website. The application deadline is June 30, 2019. Take advantage of these benefits, it really does pay to belong!
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Announcing the OPEIU Free College Benefit
Posted June 28th, 2017
OPEIU is pleased to introduce the newest union benefit for all OPEIU members – the OPEIU Free College Benefit. Just as the name implies, OPEIU members and their families can now earn an associate degree completely free of charge!Read More >>
Ojibway Correctional Facility Closing
Posted September 17th, 2018
Our condolences go out to our dedicated members and all of the employees at Ojibway Correctional Facility which is now slated for closure in December of this year.
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Vote Now for the OPEIU Triennial Convention Delegates
Posted December 1st, 2018
It is time to Vote for delegates to the OPEIU Triennial Convention June 10 - 14, 2019. Read More >>
State of Michigan Benefits for Life 2019 Open Enrollment 3/11-3/29/2019
Posted March 6th, 2019
Just a friendly heads up to MAGE members interested in Benefits for Life. Don’t miss open enrollment. Read More >>
It's National Nurses Week!
Posted May 6th, 2019
We would like to take a second to recognize all of our nurses this week! Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication. It does not go unnoticed. Attached you will find a Nurses Week flyer. We want to ask our nurses to print the flyer and send us photos of them and other members with this flyer to be submitted to OPEIU! They would like to share these photos on their social media feeds next week. If you submit a photo, please submit names and names of your unit.
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MAGE Scholarship and Student Debt Reduction Award Winners Selected
Posted October 16th, 2018
On Saturday, Sept. 29 during the MAGE Board meeting, nine winners of $1,000 Scholarship or Student Debt Reduction Awards were selected at random from all entries. Read More >>
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted November 20th, 2018
Wishing all of our members a Happy Thanksgiving! MAGE 1st Vice President Brant Wimbush Appoionted to the DHHS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council
Posted July 25th, 2018
The mission of the council is to create a plan to promote and foster a culture that values diversity. Read More >>
Legislative Report as of Sept. 28, 2018
Posted October 1st, 2018
The Legislature wrapped up their summer recess with a two day session last week. They will not be in session again until October, and even that is expected to be abbreviated. The focus is completely on the November election right now, and with it shaping up to be one of the more competitive elections in recent years, legislators are spending all of their time on the campaign trail. Read More >>
July Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted August 2nd, 2018
The Legislature has wrapped up the Fiscal Year 2018-19 appropriations process and has recessed for the summer. Before they left, they passed a large package of bills dealing with sexual assault in response to the events at Michigan State University. Read More >>
OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program Now Open
Posted April 16th, 2018
Please read on for the application and regulations for the 2018 Student Debt Reduction Program. Read More >>
May Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted May 14th, 2018
The Michigan Legislature is back in session after the two-week spring recess. Over the last month, House and Senate Appropriation Subcommittees have been holding hearings to review Governor Snyder’s budget proposal. Read More >>
March Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted April 3rd, 2018
The Michigan Legislature is in the middle of a two-week spring recess. Over the last month, House and Senate Appropriation Subcommittees have been holding hearings to review Governor Snyder’s budget proposal. We are approximately half-way through the budget process and most subcommittees are preparing their initial reports for their individual departmental spending numbers.
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Nominations for MAGE Executive Committee and Board plus Resolutions Submitted for General Council 2018
Posted April 5th, 2018
The Nominations and Resolutions Committee presents the following slate of MAGE members who have indicated their intent to run for office for the next term by submitting a Nomination application. The Committee has determined these are members in good standing, and therefore the delegates to General Council will vote to elect these individuals during the meeting on May 19.
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February Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted March 8th, 2018
Governor's budget proposal calls for relatively few changes and the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees have been meeting nonstop since then. Read More >>
January Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted January 30th, 2018
The Legislature has returned from after the holiday recess and will soon turn much of its attention to the budget process. Governor Snyder gave his last State of the State address on January 23, and his final budget presentation will take place on February 7.
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December Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted December 18th, 2017
As 2017 comes to a close, we are halfway through the current two-year legislative session. The Michigan House and Senate have adjourned for the remainder of the year and will return to session on January 10. Before they left, they completed work on a package of bills aimed at making reforms to the state’s unemployment insurance system, said farewell to Representative Andy Schor who will step down to become the new Mayor of Lansing, and passed legislation creating an early warning system of sorts for municipal pension systems. Read More >>
The MAGE General Council - May 19, 2018
Posted January 24th, 2018
The MAGE General Council is our biennial meeting where members meet to elect officers, get information and vote on policy. If you would like to attend the MAGE General Council on May 19, 2018 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in East Lansing please contact the MAGE office for reservations at 1-800-477-6243.
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Make Sure to Get Out and Vote on Tuesday, November 6!
Posted November 5th, 2018
Just a friendly reminder to our members. This is an important moment in our country and in our state. VOTE. Rain or Shine. VOTE.Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship Winner
Posted June 26th, 2017
We are so happy to announce that Spenser Vasbinder, son of MAGE OPEIU Local 2002 member Dayna Vasbinder has been selected as a winner of a Howard Coughlin Memorial Scholarship.
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Legislative Update as of November 10, 2017 by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted November 16th, 2017
The Michigan Legislature spent much of the last two months working on reforms to Michigan’s No-Fault Auto Insurance law. While there is near universal agreement that Michiganders (and we are officially “Michiganders” now thanks to Senate Bill 562) are paying too much for auto insurance, there is a massive debate on how to solve that problem. Read More >>
September Legislative Report by Capitol Services
Posted October 16th, 2017
On September 26, Speaker of the House Tom Leonard co-hosted a press conference with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to unveil a proposal to make major reforms to Michigan’s No-Fault Auto Insurance laws. Read More >>
August Legislative Report
Posted August 31st, 2017
Although the Legislature has been on summer break since June, that does not mean that nothing is happening in Lansing. Plenty of officials and legislators are planning rule changes or legislation that will begin moving in the fall. Read More >>
July Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted July 31st, 2017
The Legislature has recessed for the summer and will not be back in session until September. They completed the 2018 budget process and the Governor signed it into law in July. Read More >>
Budget Update from Capitol Services
Posted June 7th, 2017
The budget impasse between the Legislature and the Governor regarding the future of the school pension system continues into June. State prisons would see a $10 million cut to their operations under the 2017-18 fiscal year budget approved today by a House-Senate conference committee. Read More >>
OPEIU Nurses Take Capitol Hill to Demand Nurse Safe Staffing Legislation
Posted May 11th, 2017
“It’s Your Health, Your Families and Your Constituents We’re Fighting to Protect” Washington, D.C. – Nurse members of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, from around the country descended on Capitol Hill on Friday, May 5, 2017, to meet with their legislators and demand safe nurse to patient ratio legislation aimed at protecting nurses, patients and their families.
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May Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted May 30th, 2017
The last month has been a whirlwind of conflicting budget numbers and proposals between the House, Senate and Governor Snyder. Complicating the annual appropriations process has been the agreement between Speaker of the House Tom Leonard and Senate Majority Leader Arlen Meekhof that the greatest threat to Michigan at this moment are public school pensions. Read More >>
OPEIU Student Debt Reduction Program
Posted April 17th, 2017
OPEIU is happy to announce the Student Debt Reduction Program. This program provides five awards of $2,500 each year to a member who has completed an associate or undergraduate degree and who can demonstrate they have at least $10,000 in student debt and their account is current.
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April Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted April 26th, 2017
The Michigan Legislature spent the first part of the new session focused mostly on the upcoming budget battles. Read More >>
Voting now open for Ratification of the changes to the MAGE Constitution
Posted June 1st, 2018
During the 2018 General Council, delegates adopted a housekeeping resolution to the MAGE Constitution. Members must vote to ratify these changes. Read More >>
Compensation Update for FY 17/18
Posted December 14th, 2016
The MAGE Compensation Process for the non-exclusively represented employees (NEREs) has culminated with the Civil Service Commission approving a 3% general wage increase, effective October 2017 and no increases in healthcare premiums. Read More >>
Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted February 1st, 2017
The 99th Michigan Legislature was seated in Lansing this month. The term begins with a new Speaker, Representative Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) in the Chair, but the same Republican/Democrat split of 63-47. It is widely believed that the Republican caucus has become more politically conservative as a result of the election, but that has yet to be seen. Read More >>
Legislatvie Report December 2016
Posted December 27th, 2016
It’s over. The 2015-16 Legislative session has come to a close after a brief but eventful Lame Duck session. For MAGE members, it turned out to be one of the quieter Lame Duck sessions in memory. Read More >>
October Legislative Report by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted October 25th, 2016
The election is upon us and it is one of the strangest our nation has ever had. Rarely have there been two presidential contenders that were so unpopular. Donald Trump’s highly unorthodox campaign could still bear fruit on November 8, but the latest polls show him a longshot to defeat Hillary Clinton. In Michigan, Clinton is up by anywhere from 5-8 points in the polls, but it is still hard to say how that will affect down-ballot races, if at all.Read More >>
MAGE Board Selects the 2016 Scholarship Winners
Posted September 27th, 2016
The MAGE Board of Directors is pleased to announce the winners of the MAGE Scholarships for 2016. At the Board meeting held Sept. 17 the Board approved the payment of 5 scholarships, and each of these winners receives a $1,000 scholarship. Read More >>
August Legislative Report by Todd Tennis
Posted September 1st, 2016
The Primary Election is over, and due to the nature of Michigan’s legislative districts, that means that about 80% of Michigan House Seats have essentially been decided due to the fact that most seats are skewed toward one party or the other. Read More >>
Personal Leave Grant - Oct 1, 2016
Posted September 1st, 2016
On October 1, 2016 the State will grant personal leave to employees. Read the full story for details.Read More >>
July Legislative Report, by Todd Tennis of Capitol Services
Posted July 25th, 2016
The Michigan Legislature is in the middle of its summer recess, but most legislators and staff have shifted into campaign mode. Every seat in the Michigan House is up for election this year, though the Michigan Senate members will not appear on the ballot until 2018. Read More >>
MAGE Calls for Defeat of Civil Service Bills
Posted June 1st, 2016
Today the House Workforce and Talent Committee reported out legislation that would seriously undermine Michigan's decades old Civil Service system. Civil Service was established in the Michigan Constitution as a bar to politically motivated employment practices in state government.Read More >>
Supreme Court Issues Decision in MAGE 3% Pay Lawsuit
Posted May 31st, 2016
I am disappointed to report that we have received a final ruling from the Supreme Court on our 3% lawsuit. Although MAGE prevailed at the Court of Claims, the State appealed to the Supreme Court. The court concluded that the Civil Service Commission has plenary and absolute authority over the compensation of state employees.
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Michigan Association of Governmental Employees
OPEIU Local 2002
6920 S. Cedar, Suite 7
Lansing, MI 48911
OPEIU Local 2002
6920 S. Cedar, Suite 7
Lansing, MI 48911
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Phone: Fax: |
(800) 477-MAGE (517) 694-3123 (517) 694-8250 |