In 2018, Michigan United was part of a statewide coalition effort to put a right to paid sick days for low-income workers on the ballot.

We succeeded in gathering the signatures and were all set to the put questions before the voters.

However, the legislature used under-handed, and unconstitutional, tactics to undermine the law.

In Michigan, if a ballot initiative qualifies, the legislature has the option to simply adopt the measure as a law, thus preventing it from going up for a vote. The Michigan legislature did this, but then during our lame duck session, went back and amended the law to strip out paid sick days for many workers and reduce the amount of time that workers would be eligible for.

Not only is this a raw deal for Michigan workers, it is a slap in the face to 400,000 Michigan voters who signed a petition, and a blatant abuse of power. It is totally inappropriate for the legislature to amend an initiative in this way.

The case is going before the Michigan Supreme Court, and there's a lot at stake: an important benefit for low-income workers, and the checks and balances in our democracy.

We need help writing an amicus brief to the court explaining why this is unjust and should be overturned.