Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016

Contact:
Chantal Lovell
Media Relations Manager
989-698-1914

MIDLAND — The Mackinac Center for Public Policy has learned that a protest has been planned in front of its Midland office at 4 pm today by the SEIU of Michigan in connection to Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a case that will be before the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, January 11, 2016.

Michael Reitz, Mackinac Center executive vice president, issued the following statement:

Just as people are free to protest under the First Amendment, the Mackinac Center believes teachers should be free to choose what political organizations they want to support, which is the central issue in the Friedrichs case.

SEIU was involved in skimming tens of millions of dollars from individuals with disabilities in Michigan against their wishes. When given a choice, nearly all of those individuals stopped paying union dues. The organizers of this protest apparently wish to preserve their power to keep forced dues flowing.

In litigation initiated by the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation, the Michigan Education Association was ordered to notify its members that it committed an unfair labor practice by refusing to allow teachers to exercise their right-to-work freedoms.

The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation submitted two briefs in the case and has created a webpage describing background and main arguments. It also features a newly released video of the three plaintiffs, including lead plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs.

Mackinac Center experts are available for comment.

# # # # #