Vote Labor 2022

Congratulations on your decision to seek elected office.

We appreciate your willingness to engage in the political process and seek solutions to Michigan’s most pressing problems.

The Michigan AFL-CIO is a diverse, compassionate and powerful federation of labor unions that improves the lives of working people by fighting to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our state. As Michigan’s largest labor organization, we represent one million active and retired union members from nearly fifty affiliated unions and constituency groups (miaflcio.org/our-organization/).

The Michigan AFL-CIO advocates for public policy solutions at the state and local levels that support working families across Michigan. Our Policy Platform (miaflcio.org/platform) outlines the legislative and budgetary solutions we believe support our working people and empower the labor movement. Our agenda is dedicated to protecting the rights of working people, building quality infrastructure, growing vibrant communities, creating a fair economy, and promoting voting freedoms to protect our democracy.

We appreciate you taking the time to complete this questionnaire, and thank you in advance for standing with the working families across your district.

This website will be subsequently updated in January 2024 with questionnaires for federal, judicial, state, and local elections for the fall 2024 election.

2024 State Candidate Special Election Questionnaire

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out as soon as possible to Ryan Sebolt, Director of Government Affairs, at (517) 927-3917 or RSebolt@MIAFLCIO.org.

2023 has proven to be a great year for Michigan’s working people. Michigan’s pro-worker majorities made great strides towards restoring workers’ rights. Lawmakers passed a series of measures restoring and reinforcing collective bargaining rights – affecting everyone from teachers to construction workers – making Michigan one of the top states for workers going into the new year. We also saw historic strike actions take place across the state as workers fought for better pay, benefits, and working conditions, which is vital to the success of Michigan workers and their families.

But the work is nowhere near done. We must work to restore a pro-worker majority in Michigan’s legislature. Michigan workers still face unfair barriers placed in their way by previous administrations, we need a strong pro-worker legislature to help us remove these barriers and help carry us forward. Those entrusted to public office must be committed to people whose labor built and continues to build this state and our country.

Candidate Name *

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Last

Age *

Gender

Office Sought *

Incumbent, Challenger, Open Seat

Political Party *

Candidate Cell *

Candidate Email *

Do you currently hold or have you previously held public office? *

If "Yes" on the question above, please describe:

List the make and model of all vehicles owned by yourself and/or your spouse: *

Have you received an AFL-CIO endorsement in the past? *

If "Yes" on the question above, please describe which office(s):

Are you now or have you ever been a union member? *

If "Yes", which union(s) and local(s):

Are you a member of Michigan AFL-CIO Advocates? *

Have you attended a Path2Power or GLPA candidate training? *

Campaign Committee Name: *

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Last

Full Committee Address: *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Campaign Email: *

Campaign Website: *

Campaign Manager Name: *

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Campaign Committee Cellphone: *

Expected Door Goal: *

Expected Dollar Goal: *

Current Doors Knocked: *

Current Amount Raised: *

Who else have you been endorsed by? *

Name of Print Shop: *

Are they Union? *

Agent/Shop used for graphic design: *

Are they Union? *

Candidate Signature: *

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Date / Time *

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Time

Do you believe that employees should have the right to collectively bargain and organize? *

If elected, would you sponsor or co-sponsor and vote for legislation that would restore the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining? *

If elected, would you sponsor or co-sponsor and vote to repeal existing "right-to-work" laws, and vote to pass Fair Share legislation for both public and private sector workers, requiring all employees covered under a collective bargaining contract to pay their fair share towards contract administration, grievance processing, and other representational costs? *

If elected, will you support legislation that restores the freedom to pay union dues and contribute to political action committees through automatic payroll deduction? *

If elected, would you support efforts to strengthen Ml OSHA regulatory and enforcement programs as well as other workplace safety and health standards that keep working men and women safe on the job? *

Will you support legislation that requires employers provide training to prevent sexual harassment, to protect individuals who report or experience sexual harassment from reprisal or further harassment, and ensures survivors can access the counseling, advocacy, and medical support they need without unnecessary obstacles? *

If elected, will you support reinstating Michigan unemployment benefits to a base of 26 weeks instead of the 20 weeks limitation recently enacted into law? *

Michigan is an At-Will employment state, meaning workers can be fired by their employer for no reason or any reason at all. Will you support giving employees an extra layer of protection by passing Just Cause legislation, requiring employers to give a reason for disciplining or firing an employee? *

If elected, will you support changing workers compensation, removing the current restrictions which make it more difficult to obtain benefits, and eliminate provisions that allow employers to arbitrarily reduce benefits using a "phantom wage" - the amount of wages they think the injured worker should be able to earn- regardless of whether they actually have the job or wages? *

Would you support legislation that protects gig economy workers by classifying them as employees and offers other benefits of employment? *

If elected, would you work to develop bipartisan infrastructure funding solutions that require corporations to pay their fair share to fix our infrastructure, and protect taxpayers through strong and enforceable warranties? *

Do you support efforts to develop a highly-skilled workforce by linking career and technical education and job training to middle and high school students and employers? *

Will you protect the wages of skilled tradesmen and women and ensure Michigan taxpayers get the best value and vote to restore the prevailing wage on public construction projects? *

Will you aid in the development of a transition plan to assist workers and communities who may be affected by energy plant retirements to ensure that sites are redeveloped and new job opportunities are created while Michigan transitions to cleaner, more affordable energy sources? *

Do you support adopting strong pipeline safety, inspection, and reporting standards to prevent an oil or natural gas spill from ever occurring in the Great Lakes; as well as requiring corporate polluters to pay the full cost of repairing the environmental disasters they create, using skilled and well-trained workers to fully repair the damage? *

If elected, will you support efforts to reform our tax system by requiring the wealthiest individuals and corporations to start contributing their fair share and implanting more fair and progressive tax structures to adequately fund improvements to our schools and fixing our infrastructure? *

Will you support establishing a $15 an hour minimum wage for all working people so they can provide the things they need to sustain their families? *

Will you support legislation that creates and enforces strong earned paid sick leave policies to ensure all working people have the freedom to take time off work to recover from an illness or care for a family member when they get sick? *

Will you support strong family leave policies that allow parents who give birth or adopt a child the opportunity to spend time with their new children? *

Given the importance of early childhood education, will you support policies that put the state on a path to universal preschool, and make kindergarten a requirement for all Michigan students? *

Will you help to ensure students have the resources they need by restricting the use of School Aid Fund dollars in the state budget for K-12 and preschool purposes only, setting maximum class size, and providing integrated support services? *

If elected, would you actively oppose all private school voucher proposals and other schemes intended to divert taxpayer dollars from public schools to private schools? *

If elected, would you oppose the privatization of public services at the local and state level? *

Do you support buy local, buy Michigan, buy American, and buy Union programs that help to create and protect good jobs here at home? *

If elected, would you support legislation that would restore power to local governments to pass pro-working family ordinances such as setting a local minimum wage or requiring paid sick days from local businesses? *

If elected, will you work to repeal the Emergency Financial Manager Law? *

If elected, will you support measures to strengthen Michigan's earned income tax credit, which helps working people with low incomes support their families? *

Do you support repealing the state's Pension Tax on retirees? *

If elected, would you support legislation to make workplaces more fair, such as ending pay discrimination against women and people of color, as well as prohibiting discrimination against the LGBTQ community? *

Retirement savings and health benefits for Michigan public employees have been under attack in the legislature. If elected, will you pledge to protect and strengthen pensions for Michigan school employees, as well as retirement savings and health benefits for public servants like nurses, police officers, firefighters, and municipal employees? *

If elected, would you support efforts to promote greater voter participation, including early voting, and oppose any legislation that creates new barriers to voting? *

If elected, will you support legislation to make the state legislature and the governor's office subject to the Freedom of Information Act? *

Will you pledge to support candidates endorsed by the Michigan AFL-CIO? *

What do you think is the importance of collective bargaining? *

Short Answer

Get in touch with MI AFL-CIO!

Joshua Pugh is the Communications Director for the Michigan AFL-CIO. Josh has been a progressive communicator and organizer since 2008, working for Obama for America, the Michigan Democratic Party, Progress Michigan, For Our Future, as a general consultant, and in various capacities on candidate campaigns at the local, state, and federal level.

Josh was born in Lansing but grew up in rural Emmet County, in the shadow of the Mackinac Bridge. When he’s not thinking about politics and campaigns, Josh is an avid fan of sports and music, and lives in Lansing’s Old Town neighborhood with his wife Breina and their two cats. Josh is a member of UAW Local 1981.

Beth Kelly is the Campaigns Director for the Michigan AFL-CIO. In 2018 she served as Field Director for Senator Stabenow’s re-election campaign through the Michigan Democratic Party. Before joining Team Stabenow, Beth was the Executive Director at Emerge Michigan, an organization focused on changing the face of politics by recruiting, training and providing a powerful network for Democratic women to run for office. At Emerge Michigan, Beth oversaw the state’s only in-depth, six month, 70-hour, training program providing aspiring female leaders with cutting-edge tools and training to run for elected office and elevate themselves in our political system. In that time, Michigan went from being ranked 35th in the country for women represented at the state level to 12th. State Senator Mallory McMorrow and State Representative Kyra Harris are both graduates of Emerge Michigan.

Beth led the Member Political Fellowship program for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) from 2009-2012. During her time at SEIU, Beth advanced the goal to train rank and file union members to lobby Congress and elect politicians who support working families. The sole non-elected speaker at the press conference to introduce the Senate’s version of the Affordable Care Act was an SEIU member Beth personally trained. From 2005-2007, Beth worked for Congressman Daniel Lipinski in various capacities. Beth is a member of Laborers’ Local 355.

Micheal is Organizing Director at the Michigan AFL-CIO. Born and raised in Lansing, Micheal’s work in the labor movement, progressive issues and education reform has kept him active across the state.

After graduating from the University of Michigan, he served 2 years as an AmeriCorps VISTA working to address students’ achievement issues in Ann Arbor Public high schools. Since then, Micheal has been very active in nonpartisan campaigns, organizing students on college campuses nationwide, local community building and sustainability drives, and a host of other exciting work! Micheal is excited to contribute to a dedicated team and help engage activists and workers in support of Michigan’s working families. Micheal is a member of UAW Local 1981.

Ryan is Director of Legislative Affairs at the Michigan AFL-CIO. Ryan has more than a decade of legislative experience working for both the Michigan State House and Senate, including as Senior Communications Advisor for the Senate Democratic Caucus under the leadership of Gretchen Whitmer. Ryan has also worked on state and local level campaigns and currently serves as an Ingham County Commissioner.

A lifelong Michigan resident, Ryan was born in Lansing and is a graduate of Albion College. He lives in Lansing’s Westside Neighborhood with his husband, Cody. He has worked on the board of local non-profit organizations focused on LGBTQ rights including Michigan Pride and Suits in the City. Ryan is a member of UAW Local 1981.

Daryl Newman is a skilled political organizer and grassroots activist and the youngest person ever elected to the Office of Secretary-Treasurer of the Michigan State AFL-CIO.

Immediately prior, he served as Member Mobilizer for the American Federation of Teachers, Michigan. At a time when classroom teachers and all educational employees are under attack from forces that would gut our public educational system, Daryl worked to make sure their voices were heard in Lansing.

The son of a union postal worker and a teacher in the Detroit Public Schools, Daryl learned the value of trade unionism early on.

Upon his graduation from Michigan State University, Daryl found a talent for political organizing. He went to work for candidates and campaigns that shared his values, and rose quickly to positions of responsibility. As state political director of the Michigan Democratic Party, Daryl mobilized for key victories even in highly competitive races. Since 2000, he has been involved in every coordinated presidential campaign and has helped ensure that Michigan voters elected a labor-endorsed candidate. His career at the Michigan Democratic Party is notable as he was the youngest political director of a state Democratic Party organization in the country during his tenure. Daryl is a member of AFT Michigan.

Ron Bieber is President of the Michigan AFL-CIO. Ron has dedicated his entire career to fighting for working families. Ron is a third-generation UAW member, and the son of former UAW President Owen Bieber. Prior to his election as President of the Michigan AFL-CIO, he served as Director of the UAW’s Community Action Program, and before that, as Assistant Director of the UAW’s General Motors Department.

Bieber joined UAW Local 730 at age 18, after hiring into General Motors Metal Fabricating plant in Wyoming, Michigan. He currently lives in Grand Blanc with his wife, Patti. Ron is a member of UAW Local 659.

Emma was born in Michigan and raised on Grosse Ile, an island about 30 minutes south of Detroit. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising and Multimedia Design from Central Michigan University. Following graduation, she worked as a Graphic Designer for the University of Michigan in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Emma is an experienced Graphic Designer with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. She loves to be with her family and friends. Some of her hobbies include golfing and calligraphy.

Zinnia is Operations Director at the Michigan AFL-CIO. Zinnia is a seasoned political professional having worked for the Hon. John D. Dingell for 14 years. She has significant experience in fundraising, communications, event planning and grassroots. Zinnia started working for Congressman Dingell while she was still completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan, and served as the Administrator of Mr. Dingell’s year round political operations until his retirement.

Zinnia is a proud first generation Chaldean American and lifelong Michigander. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University. Zinnia is a member of UAW Local 1981. She enjoys traveling and the Detroit Tigers.

Derek is Chief of Staff at the Michigan AFL-CIO. In addition to his work at the Michigan AFL-CIO, Derek currently serves as Mayor of the City of Jackson. He was first elected to the City Council in 2011.

Prior to joining the Michigan AFL-CIO, Derek was District Administrator to Congressman John Dingell, the longest-serving Member of Congress in American history. Derek is an Eagle Scout, and a Partner with the Truman National Security Project. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.

Stephanie Glidden is an experienced, resourceful, and effective political and legislative staffer who has worked for multiple political candidates throughout Michigan and spent time in both the House and Senate.

Most recently she was a senior staffer and regional field director for Gretchen Driskell for Congress. She is a graduate from Central Michigan University – Fire Up! – and the daughter of a union carpenter. Stephanie is also a proud member of UAW Local 1981.

Email: sglidden@miaflcio.org

Patty is Secretary to the Health and Safety Director. Patty was hired into the Michigan AFL-CIO in 1969 by then President August (Gus) Scholle.

She has held the following positions: Jr. Bookkeeper, Legislative Secretary, Staff Secretary, Secretary to Secretary-Treasurer Walter Oliver and Secretary to Presidents William C. Marshall, Frank D. Garrison and Mark Gaffney.

She is currently the Recording Secretary for Union Label and Service Trades Department and the Secretary to Health and Safety Director Derrick Quinney.

Stephanie is Controller at the Michigan AFL-CIO. Stephanie was raised to be union. It was her mother, Judy Pike, a longtime OPEIU member and employee of the Michigan State AFL-CIO, that instilled her with union values like social justice, collective bargaining, and solidarity. Employed with the Michigan State AFL-CIO since 2008 as the Executive Secretary to the Secretary-Treasurer, Stephanie is proud to be carrying on the union tradition as a member of OPEIU Local 459.

Meg is the Executive Secretary, and has worked at the MI AFL-CIO for over 5 years.

She is a proud member of OPEIU Local 459 for over 9 years, working at both the MI AFL-CIO and Lansing Auto Makers Credit Union. Meg has two wonderful children, and plans to continue her career with the MI AFL-CIO, and help people understand that so-called Right to Work is wrong for working families.