Lansing - About 2,000 union members stood at the steps of the state Capitol on Wednesday in support of unemployment benefits.
A large truck painted with the word “Teamsters” circled the block honking its horn in support of the rally, organized by the Michigan State AFL-CIO.
President of the Michigan State AFL-CIO Mark Gaffney yelled, “I’m seeing labor power,” to the crowd while they responded with a shout of “415,” a reference to the maximum weekly unemployment rate they were lobbying for.
Patrick Huff, an unemployed Battle Creek electrician’s apprentice, was one of the many in attendance.
Huff said he doesn’t qualify for the present maximum of $300 a week, but even if he did, it wouldn’t be enough to provide for his wife and two sons.
“It’s below the poverty line,” he said.
The unemployment rate was put on a hold seven years ago, causing a decrease in the rate after the effects of inflation, the AFL-CIO said.
A bill proposed in the House would raise the rate but would also introduce a waiting week between when individuals are eligible for unemployment and when they can collect.
“It’d be like you missing a week on your paycheck,” Huff said. “It hurts.”
Union officials said the bill would inadequately provide for many working families.
Even with the maximum rate increase to $415 a week, the formula to determine how much each individual actually receives needs more work, said Tim Hughes, legislative director for the AFL-CIO.
“Over half the people lose money on this alleged increase,” he said. “We’d like to see an increase in the formula itself.”
Even without union conflicts, the bill caused much controversy in the House after an amendment was proposed to lower the maximum rate from $415 to $362.
The drama that followed resulted in the removal of Rep. Robert Gosselin, R-Troy, as chairman of the Committee on Employment Relations, Training and Safety and the reversion of the bill back to that committee.
During the union rally, members walked around the Capitol talking to their legislators to endorse a redrafting of the bill to include the full $415 rate and no waiting week.
Mike Vorce showed up at 9 a.m. to do just that.
The Whitelake Township electrician spoke with his legislators and said he felt that he was given a fair chance.
And Rep. Virg Bernero said from what he had heard, many other senators and representatives also got the message.
“Anecdotally, what I’ve heard is they’re getting through with their representatives,” the Lansing Democrat said.
“And that’s the start of it all.”
Bernero, a representative on the committee to re-receive the bill, said he doesn’t know what the bill will include when it is reintroduced, but after the rallying of the AFL-CIO, he said he hopes the next attempt at passage runs a bit smoother.
“This is one where it’s pretty clear that we’re about working people,” he said.
“The Republicans have gotten the message, and I think they’ve gotten some religion on the issue.”
