In the 1960s, a series of strikes by police officers and firefighters put public safety at risk in communities across Michigan, including the following communities: Pontiac, Lansing, Saginaw and Kalamazoo. PA 312 ensures that police officers and firefighters have an option to negotiate labor agreements fairly and equitably with municipalities. In fact, because of PA 312, police and fire departments have not gone on strike in Michigan in the last 40 years.

PA 312 has been effective because ability to pay is considered during arbitration. As it is written, in Section 9 of PA 312, it is clearly stated that an arbitrator MUST consider the ability of the community to pay in its finding, opinion and award. The statute is followed by arbitrators and this criteria, as defined, is considered in each award.

The elimination of PA 312 would set the state back decades. PA 312 was carefully studied, tested and analyzed before Gov. George Romney signed it into law. Without PA 312, negotiations between police and firefighters and their respective units of government, may result in regular strikes and labor impasses which are a threat to public safety. Each and every community would be at risk without PA 312. PA 312 keeps police and firefighters on the job while labor disputes are settled though the binding arbitration process.

In 2010, out of the thousands of instances when counties, cities and townships negotiated agreements in good faith with police officers and firefighters, only 28 entered into binding arbitration ? a small fraction. In reality, binding arbitration is only used as a last resort by police officers and firefighters, usually when negotiations are at an impasse or when communications between both parties break down.

No. In fact, nearly 60 percent of the time, municipalities win issues before arbitrators. As a result of PA 312, a fair negotiation process has been developed that evaluates the needs of police and firefighters as well as the best interest of the communities that they serve.