LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Protesters are showing up at the state Capitol for a second day, upset about Republican lawmakers' efforts to take away binding arbitration for police and firefighters and with Gov. Rick Snyder's budget cuts and tax increases.
West Bloomfield firefighters Peter Zarek and Todd Rogers said Wednesday that binding arbitration lets a neutral party decide what's fair in contracts with police and firefighter unions, ending stalemates.
The men were among hundreds of firefighters waving signs asking lawmakers to keep the binding arbitration law in place. A House committee had a Wednesday hearing scheduled on the law.
Snyder told the Michigan Society of Association Executives that his budget proposal is painful, but will get the state back on the right path. Most audience members listened politely, but not all supported his proposals.
