Heat, Humidity Continues
It’s official, theDetroit News reports: Michigan is in the middle of a heat wave. From the News:
The National Weather Service declares a heat wave when there are five or more consecutive days of 90-degree weather or three or more consecutive days of 95-degree temperatures. Today is expected to top out at a sweltering 100 degrees with high humidity. It is the fifth straight day of at least 90-degree temperatures. The heat and humidity will combine to make it feel like 110 degrees outside… The 100 degree high would set a record.
Changes to Binding Arbitration
A local government's ability to pay will be the top factor for an arbitrator to consider when settling labor disputes involving police and fire departments under terms of legislation signed yesterday by Governor Snyder, the Associated Press reports. From the AP:
The legislation… will speed up arbitration in some cases by requiring the process to be completed within 180 days. The expenses of arbitration would be split between the local government and the union involved. Snyder says making a community's ability to pay the top priority could help prevent "drastic cuts" that could lead to layoffs of public safety personnel. Michigan has relied on binding arbitration to help resolve public safety personnel labor disputes for decades.
Jobless Rate Rises Slightly
Michigan’s unemployment rate rose slightly to 10.5 percent in June. There were 8,000 more unemployed people in Michigan last month – a total of 496,000 people looking for work. When part-timers, people who would like to work full-time, and those who got discouraged and stopped looking for work are counted, the rate of unemployment and under-employment was 19.6 percent.
