By Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg
For the residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan the question is will America have prosperity and democracy, or live in poverty under the heel of open corporate power. There’s been a coup in Benton Harbor, First, Whirlpool controlled Benton Harbor and now the City of Benton Harbor has become the battleground for Michigan’s new emergency financial management law. The law gives an accountant, Joseph Harris, dubbed an emergency manager the right to tear up labor contracts. And, in Detroit district wide layoff notices hit every one of its Public Schools. The 5,466 unionized employees called the move the largest “lone fell swoop” firing of teachers in union memory. Additionally, the Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobbs concurrent announcement that he plans to unilaterally modify the Detroit Federation of Teachers a collective bargaining agreement is the first test of a sweeping new state law.
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Related reading:
Profile for Benton Harbor, Michigan, MI
ePodunk (24 May 11)
