It's time to end the era where moms and dads work three jobs just to scrape their families by.

We are Communication Installers that care about our customers; we go the extra mile to meet their needs. Alcatel-Lucent is sub-contracting our jobs to third-party vendors that don't concern themselves with customer needs. Please help us prevent sub-contractors from hurting your company as much as they are hurting us.

My name is Ian Swanson. I'm in fourth grade. Once a month, I am allowed to eat at any fast food restaurant I want. My favorite fast food place is McDonald's. I love the Happy Meals! Although my mom disagrees, I think that McDonald's has the best burgers, chicken nuggets and french fries in the country. I really enjoy my monthly treat at McDonald's, but last week was my last Happy Meal. I learned that the people who make my Happy Meal don't earn enough to provide for their own kids because McDonald’s doesn’t pay them enough and sometimes does not even pay what they owe. I don't want to give my money to a company that steals from its workers. It made me very upset to hear that McDonald's and many other fast food companies steal from workers by not paying them for the work they do. That is not fair! My parents taught me to share and never take what does not belong to me. I want to help the McDonald’s workers, but I am just a kid and sometimes I need an adult to help me do things. I want to ask McDonald’s to give back the money that they stole from the workers and be fair. Will you join me? *Ian is the son of an Interfaith Worker Justice staff person. For more information about wage theft and the struggles of fast food workers, visit www.iwj.org*

I have worked for Pizza Hut/NPC for the last 4 years. When I started, I was making full minimum whether in store or out on deliveries. Last Year in May, there were several of us in my store that were still making full minimum wage. Pizza Hut had their major meeting retreat, and when our manager came back, she informed us that we "grandfathered" drivers were being put on split-pay effective May 29, 2013. I used to be able to pay all my bills on time, but now I am late on everything due to this pay scheme. I get food stamps, but they don't help with the bills.

This petition is to hopefully HELP our unemployed Americans who so desirably need this extension please please HELP

Many job seekers are without funds and have had to borrow from family or friends to survive. Many cannot pay rent or mortgages, and back debts mount. But, more importantly this is a failure to the thousands of job seeking Americans ( including a high percentage of veterans )who are legally due these funds. The money has been set aside and when released it will immediately flow back into the economy.

Subway has the most locations of any fast food chain, in an industry rife with wage theft, unlivable minimum pay, and CEOs than make over 1,000 times more than their workers.

Conservatives in Lansing are using a political ploy to stop the minimum wage campaign in its tracks. This proposal is yet another attempt from conservatives to subvert the will of the people. It is clear that momentum and public opinion are on our side and they are scared. Sign our petition demanding lawmakers allow the people to vote to raise the minimum wage!

I was laid off my job with a mortgage company in 2008 when the economy began collapsing. For two years I could not find a job anywhere in Los Angeles. Since then I have worked on temporary and short term jobs while looking for a permanent position. Unemployment benefits, temporary jobs and my savings have kept me afloat, but that is all gone now and I may not be able to pay my rent and meet my bills for the first time since the extension benefits ended. I am asking my state legislators to extend unemployment benefits since the federal House of Representatives refuses to do so.

The recent ruling from the MDARD Commission changed the GAAMPS for farms located in residential and urban areas. MDARD says that this is to stop people from raising livestock where people live close together. I see it as townships restricting people, even in Rural Residential areas where agriculture is allowed, but put restrictions on livestock that already go against Michigan Right To Farm Act. Act 93 of 1981. Example: Mt.Morris Charter Township says to have livestock a person must get a NON-COMMERCIAL land use permit in Rural Residential zoned areas. Having a noncommercial land use permit to keep livestock would make a farmer exempt from the protection of the RTFA. But, tilling the land, spreading fertilizer and planting corn is allowed and protected. I personally have 9.77 acres, my son is a active Genesee Co. 4-H member. He is the 2013-14, 4-H Prince. His 4-H projects are chickens, rabbits and horses, along with non-animal projects. I am a 4-H leader and single mom, as well. We are small little farm that wants to raise our own food. I am commercial, as I sell firewood and manure from the farm. My son receives monies from premiums at the fair and the sale of his chickens at fair auction. I know many 4-H children that live in the same township and zoned the same as we are. With this new ruling they would not even be able to own a rabbit. People with chickens that sell "farm fresh eggs" and have 3-5 acres or more as myself will be stopped from trying to make ends meet, in a state that is already hurting. The auto industry has let the people of Michigan and Genesee County down and hurting. Please let us not let the Agricultural industry do the same! Don't think that 4-H or FFA(Future Farmers of America) members have these huge farms located in strictly Agricultural zoned areas. People from urban areas have been moving into the county and rural areas for years. They keep pushing and pushing. Please reverse these new rules the commission has set for the GAAMPS and help us little people out!!! Thank You!! Jackie Kerr

It would change the whole system and make it more representative of the people.

Hobby beekeepers in the suburbs and urban areas keep Michigan in the race to save the honey bee. Small Michigan farmers provide us healthy foods that include fresh eggs and honey products in urban farmers markets.