News

By Kyle Davidson --

The United Auto Workers (UAW) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have joined a chorus of organizations in Michigan calling for action on bills that would restrict certain corporations from making political contributions, according to a statement from the Taking Back Our Power coalition on Friday.

“We are deeply grateful to UAW and SEIU Michigan for their unwavering commitment to defending our democracy against corporate greed and their leadership in rallying labor support behind the overwhelmingly popular Taking Back Our Power legislative package. Their advocacy highlights the urgent need to curb corporate influence in our political system, which has too often drowned out the voices of working-class Michiganders,” said Ponsella Hardaway, who co-chairs the coalition, a collective of environmental and community advocates backing the Taking Back Our Power package. 

The effort includes House Bills 5975, 5976, 5520 and 5521, which aim to block regulated energy and natural gas companies and prospective government contractors from directly or indirectly contributing to a candidate, political party or non-candidate committee. It also bars state agencies from entering into contracts if the principals to the contract have made political contributions within 18 months before the contract is signed.

UAW President Shawn Fain sent a letter to Michigan lawmakers last week outlining the policies the union would like to see passed during lame duck, including extending the eligibility period for unemployment, reforming of the state’s no-fault auto insurance law and repealing a ban preventing local governments from setting their own labor standards and a higher-than-state minimum wage, among other efforts.

Neither the UAW nor the SEIU responded to a request for further comment. 

The Taking Back Our Power coalition and its supporters argue the state’s current laws on political spending allow regulated companies like DTE Energy and Consumers Energy — Michigan’s largest energy companies — undue influence over politicians, creating a conflict of interest as Michigan residents continue to criticize both companies for high electrical rates and poor reliability. 

When asked about DTE’s stance on the legislation, DTE spokesperson Ryan Lowry said the company is compliant with all applicable laws regarding corporate donations and political contributions.

“In compliance with our IRP settlement, we have voluntarily expanded our disclosures to increase transparency for all stakeholders. These disclosures showcase DTE’s commitment to our customers and communities we serve, helping us meet our aspiration of being best in the world and best for the world,” Lowry said. “The vast majority of the political contributions the company makes are supported by the DTE voluntary employee PAC or DTE shareholders — not from customer revenue.” 

 Consumers Energy Director of External Relations Katie Carey told the Michigan Advance in an email that the company strives to conduct business in a transparent way, “including our participation in the legislative and political process.”

“Contributions to elected officials can come from one of two places — either shareholder profits, or voluntary contributions made by our employees to the Employees for Better Government (EBG) PAC — and never customer dollars. The EBG PAC is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and governed by an employee-run steering committee that is independent of the Corporation’s officers and Board. Participation in the PAC is voluntary and gives employees a voice in the political process and all PAC contributions are publicly disclosed on the Secretary of State’s website,” Carey said.

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This article first appeared at Michigan Advance.