i LOCAL/STATE The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 4, 1996 - 5 -Workers strike against state Kemp promises secunty in tax cut teachers' LANSING (AP) -Unionized work- ers of the Michigan Education Association went on strike yesterday, concerned they'd have to pay more in pension contributions and health insur- ance deductibles under a proposed con- tract. "It's the classic, 'Let's attack the employees' benefits and see if we can t a reduction;" said Stan Burnell, who represents one of five unions in the United Staff Organization negotiating with the MEA, the state's largest teach- ers union. "We do not think this represents the spirit of the MEA, or the members of the MEA." USO members held a news con- ference inI WO *ansing yester- day to explain the nice ifW reasons for the strike, which had contr affects about 560 employees at bagainin; regional MEA offices around dificult H the state and at the MEA's East - Lansing head- M EA rters. Not all unions negotiating' with the MEA are on strike. The 29-member Michigan Executive Directors Association reached a tentative agree- ment with the MEA early yesterday morning, according to - MEA spokesperson Dawn Cooper. And mar- keting employees at MEA Financial Services have so far decided to keep bargaining rather than strike. That leaves three unions on strike: he MEA Professional Staff Association, which represents most of the MEA employees who negotiate teacher contracts; the MESSA Professional Staff Association, which bargains on teachers' health insurance and handles members' health insurance claims; and Associate Staff Employees, who handle clerical and other duties at MEA headquarters. The three units picketed MEA head- uarters yesterday and said they were telling MEA members to call MEA President Julius Maddox to urge him to 19 e: union settle the contract. "The Michigan Education Association, which has fought for the goals, ideals and principles of fairness and equity in member contracts, does not believe in those same goals, ideals and principles for its own employees;" said Tom Greene, president of the strik- ing workers. "It is unthinkable that an organiza- tion that prides itself on fighting attacks on workers' rights, benefits, contract rollbacks and fair treatment would stoop to ... attacking its own workers." Cooper said it's unusual for an orga- nization that represents union workers to have its own staff on strike. But she said it's not espe- cially odd. d b "It would be nice if we never never had contract bar- gaining difficul- Ic ties. But it isn't the kind of thing r that's terribly upsetting," she , said. "We just want to get it set- Dawn Cooper tied." spokesperson A voice recod- ing at the MEA explained that the workers were on strike and asked callers to be patient until a nonstriking employee could answer the phone. No talks were scheduled as of late yesterday afternoon between the strik- ing employees and MEA. Maddox said the MEA had offered to extend the con- tract for a month while negotiations continued, but the unions rejected the offer. The unions say that the MEA has proposed rolling back many provision- sin the current contract, including deleting layoff protection and retiree health insurance, reducing benefits for members injured on the job, eliminat- ing holiday pay and asking employees to contribute 2.4 percent of their pay to their pension - all without offering a pay increase in the first year of the con- tract. "It would mean job insecurity, it would mean economic deprivation;" Burnell said. FRASER, Mich. (AP) - Tossing footballs and sounding optimistic, vice presidential nominee Jack Kemp told plant workers that a Dole-Kemp tax cut would lead them to economic secu- rity. "We believe we are the best friend labor has had in a long time," Kemp told 450 people yesterday at ISI Automation's Fraser plant. Kemp blamed taxes and regulation for everything from hampering world trade to keeping workers from achiev- ing greater wealth. "I don't think it's right it takes two breadwinners to do what used to take one," Kemp said, saying a proposed 15-percent tax cut would change that. He called Democrats' plan to target tax breaks "elitist" because people would lose breaks as they move to upper incomes. He dismissed claims that the tax cut would only aid upper classes. "Look, the rich are already rich," Kemp said. "It's the poor who never get a chance to get rich." The Republican's mid-day speech marked his second straight day of cam- paigning in the heart of labor country - a critical presidential swing state. Later yesterday, Kemp continued his seven-day, 12-state swing by travelling to Chicago and Cincinnati. Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole will be Dearborn today to attend a town hall-style meeting at National Tech Team, Inc. Earlier, Kemp briefly attended an ISI training session and then toured the plant that produces automation prod- ucts for automotive, appliance and other industries. He was accompanied by his wife, Joanne, Doug Blatt, ISI chief executive and Gov. John Engler, among others. During the tour a robotic arm raised a sign that said "15%, a reference to the tax cut plan. "Get a picture of this so Bob Dole can see it, too," Kemp said posing, before cameras. He gave part of his speech in what he said was "Geraldo Rivera" style, as he walked among the crowd on a raised platform with a wireless micro- phone. He also accepted a football "hand-off" from a ISI robotic arm and threw several footballs into the audi- ence while a recording of the Steve Miller Band's "Fly Like An Eagle" blared over the ound system.. Kemp paid tribute during his speech to men and women carrying out a lim- ited military strike in Iraq. He called the mission "worthwhile." He said President Clinton should demand Iraqi withdrawal from Kurdish territories, the release of Kurdish prisoners and the establishment of United Nations weapons sanctions. . JOSH BIGGs/Daily Unveiling the wheelJ Art Beyerling of Cadillac, Mich. uncovers a ferris wheel after yesterday's rains in Saline at the Saline Fair. I Dole to stump 1n Dearborn today PMD ADY[1S'fl OCTOBER GRE FOCUSED PREPARATION By Stephanie Jo Klein Daily Staff Reporter Bob Dole's fight on the presidential campaign trail is scheduled to continue in Michigan this evening as he hits Dearborn with an agenda focused on business and the economy. Dole is slated to tour the facilities of National Tech Team, Inc., a local corpo- ration, along with Gov. John Engler, Secretary of State Candace Miller and once-rival Lamar Alexander at 5:45 p.m. At 6 p.m., they will sit down with local residents and employees of the company for an informal business meeting. The hour-long round table is a part of Dole's ongoing string of "Listening to America" discussions. Susan Shafer, Dole's Michigan press director, said National Tech Team, whose motto is "Ideas at work, Solutions that last," exemplifies Dole's hopes for the American job market. "They hired laid-off auto workers and trained them on their computers," Shafer said. "It's one of the fastest growing companies in Michigan, if not America." Inez Sanzeri, a Dole campaign work- er, said the company's employment fig- ures jumped from 200 to 1,100 in the last decade. National Tech Team, Inc. trains corporations such as Price Waterhouse to create and customize in- house computer networks. 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You will Develop Efficient Reasoning & Games Techniques, Improve Your Math Skills, Learn New Reading Approaches, and Rapidly Expand your Vocabulary. Classes for the Oct. GRE begin: Tue., Sept. 3rd and Sat. Sept. 7th. Dec. GRE Classes begin in Oct. )0 South University 996-1500 MICHIGAN Continued from Page ± Joe Fitzsimmons, Republican House candidate, said theBob Dole/Jack Kemp mpaign sees Michigan as "critical." "They are very interested, very con- cerned about this state;" he said. Fitzsimmons said this concern from both sides will bring the Democratic and Republican tickets to Michigan in the coming months. Kemp visited the state yesterday and Monday, and Dole is scheduled to speak in Dearborn today. Officials outside of the state also say Michigan will play an integral role in the presidential election. "We're going to see (Dole) a lot," ngler said. "I want him to frame issues specifically for Michigan voters." Clinton has already begun his focus on the state, spending two days in Michigan last week on his way to Chicago as part of a whistle-stop train tour. "West Michigan is now Clintor' country;' said Levin, who accompanied Clinton on the later half of his *4ichigan train tour. "If we don't carry Michigan, we're going to have a hard time winning nationally," said Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), chair of the DNC. Mark Brewer, chair of the Michigan Democratic party, said he thinks Democrats went after Michigan votes by having the state's officials play major roles in the national convention. "There are hundreds of people here eom Michigan just to see them speak" Brewer said in Chicago last week. Michigan's industrial history will most likely draw out the candidates' eco- nomic plans and records. Some officials say voters may compare the economic policies of Clinton and Engler over the past four years to determine how each party would impact the state's economy. In an interview in Chicago, Gene Sperling, economic adviser to the pres- MSA Continued from Page 1. members, especially new members, are learning to let party lines guide elec- ident and an Ann Arbor native, said that Clinton's economic plan will be sensi- tive to the job transitions workers in Michigan and across the country are encountering. Sperling said the govern- ment must focus on allowing greater health care and pension portability and teaching workers to improve and devel- op skills on the job. Credit for economic growth in Detroit and throughout Michigan should go to Clinton, not the Republicans, Archer said. "(Engler's) been able to cut taxes 21 times because Bill Clinton has put together a national economy that has caused our economy to be high enough that he could cut taxes," Archer said. Fitzsimmons said that although Engler's popularity is an asset to the Republican campaign, the voters will ultimately make their decisions based on the ideas of the candidates. "It will come down to who the people of Michigan want to carry them into the 21st century," Fitzsimmons said. Fitzsimmons said the national race will affect the state election only if one side wins significantly. "If either one side wins substantially in the state, that's going to affect them negatively or positively," he said. VEaDQB ILL. 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