Michigan City mayor pushes back against union’s claims over arrests

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. --  Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch is rejecting allegations from Local 150 union that city officials violated workers’ rights during a protest at the Phoenix Data Center project.

The dispute began last week when members of Local 150 picketed the construction site on Royal Road, displaying an inflatable rat to protest what they called unfair hiring practices. The demonstration ended with the arrests of two union members on Oct. 29.

Michigan City police said the workers were taken into custody for criminal trespass after refusing to leave private property.

“Officers were encouraged to redirect picketers to public property,” Police Chief Steve Forker said. “After more than an hour of negotiations… they were both placed under arrest for criminal trespass.”

In a news release, Local 150 accused city officials of violating protesters First Amendment rights and siding with out-of-state, nonunion contractors. The union said it plans to continue its demonstrations and is reviewing legal options following the arrests.

Mayor Deuitch pushed back against the accusations during a Monday news conference, calling the controversy “political theater and a smear campaign.”

“They’ve chosen to politicize a private land dispute, falsely blaming local government and attempting to incite unrest in our community,” Deuitch said.

Deuitch emphasized that the Phoenix Data Center project is a development between Phoenix Investors and the state of Indiana, not a city-led or taxpayer-funded project. She also said multiple local union contractors are already working on the site.

“This isn’t about union or anti-union,” she said. “It’s really about power and politics. And there’s no room for that here in Michigan City.”

The mayor also accused Local 150 business representative John Watson — who is running for a seat on the LaPorte County Council — of using the dispute to advance his campaign.

Deuitch urged both sides to resume negotiations directly with Phoenix Investors rather than with city officials.