January and February Calls to Action and Announcements

January 27th Call to Action: Press Conference:

Hello Again Colleagues and Friends,

Please note the slight change in the time for the "No Takeover of Detroit Water Department" to be held on this Thursday, at 3:30 PM instead of 2:00 PM.  Also, due to the anticipated weather we will hold the rally/meeting in the Erma Henderson Auditorium on the 13th of the Coleman A Young Municipal Center. See corrected flyer with the update time and location.

Make your voices heard by showing up!  See you there.
_______________________________________________________________________

HOOD
 RESEARCH

contact@HoodResearch.org

January 25, 2011

Removal of Item Pricing Law is Bad Business


    The elimination of the Item Pricing Law would lead to a
reduction in thousands of jobs. The projections can be from
a high of 100,000 jobs to a conservative number of 60,000
jobs. This is based on the retail industry’s projections of
the two billion dollars in cost caused by the regulation.
This is a labor intensive law. This law has a cause for
people to be hired to allow compliance with the law and then
to inspect and regulate the law. The projections above do
not include government jobs only private industry jobs.

    This law forces a physical encounter with every tag-able
item. Then forces a manual encounter with store shelves to
apply additional pricing information. More physical activity
occurs when repricing merchandise already located on store
shelves. Machines stamp bar-codes on the items themselves
and update store computers. This happens today. Removing the
law only removes the physical or manual efforts. This leads
to a reduction in the workforce. This existing workforce is
not an area of restructuring to serve in another capacity.
The retail association has stated that its a cost they wish
to do without which means a reduction in jobs in the state
of Michigan at a time when that would lead to a deeper
recession, a further reduction in taxes and increased
unemployment.

    This $2 Billion dollars will flow directly into the
executive bonus packages and executive salary compensation.
Neither the republicans or their business partners have said
that this money can be used elsewhere to meet other needs.
Also there have been no promises and more importantly no
projections of savings to consumers such as a percentage
drop in prices. There has also not been any promises or
projections of consumer benefits elsewhere such as better
customer service or newer services where the money can be
redirected. This matter is strictly a grab for profits to
place into executive pockets.

    This is in addition to the natural increase in problems
Michigan consumers would encounter when making purchases.
 Today the law demands compensation when consumers are hurt
by incorrect pricing. Scams such as Bait and Switch or
outright fraud are not common in Michigan thanks to this
law. The compensation serves as a deterrent that does not
harm the retailer and serves as a self regulating
punishment. Without the law, pricing errors would increase
unchecked and without recourse. Retailers would not have any
incentive to check for accuracy or ensure legal behavior.

Th suggestion to remove this law is anti-labor, anti-consumer, and against the best interest of the State of Michigan.

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Upcoming Events

1) Next Monthly Meeting Saturday February 12th @ 2:00 PM

Join us at

Barton-McFarlane Neighborhood Association
8222 Joy Road

2) Black History Tour Saturday March12th
WHERE
Battle Creek Michigan,
Ypsilanti Michigan
Tour Bus leaves from Detroit that morning

more Details to be announced
contact Hood Research
313.931.2700
contact@hoodresearch.org
or stop by our next monthly meeting