Wisconsin Public Employees Shut State Capitol
Workers Fighting to Save Their Unions

State Workers in Wisconsin are mad as hell, and they’re not going to take it anymore.  At least, that’s what 25,000 protestors who converged on the State capitol this week were saying.  The protesters were out in full- and impressive- force, fighting a new controversial bill that would strip public workers of most of their collective bargaining rights.  Introduced by newly elected Republican Governor Scott Walker, this bill is just another attack on public workers, trying to demonize them and bust their union. 

The Democrats in the State are seeking to stall the bill by not allowing the State Senate to reach the quorum necessary to pass the Republican bill. Threatened with being forcibly returned to the capitol, the 14 Senators fled to Illinois.  They have vowed to not return until the voices of the workers are heard and the Republican Governor agrees to sit down and negotiate. (For a great story on the Democrat legislators, go here: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/17/wisconsin-democrats-found-and-their-best-western-has-an-indoor/)

This protest has legs!  Reports are saying that even policemen, who are running “crowd control” on the protest, are pumping their fists in the air and chanting alongside of the protestors.  And it’s not just state workers- 3,000 students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee walked out of classes at noon on February 17 to protest the proposed union busting bill, while students at colleges and high schools across the state organized walkouts and many school districts were shut down by teacher absences.

The workers in Wisconsin are no longer just fighting for themselves, they are fighting for the rights of public employees on a national scale. If this bill passes in Wisconsin (a historically pro-labor state), who knows how many other states will try to pass similar bills?  To see more about the protest, including some words from protestors and some videos, check out http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/17/946042/-Voices-from-the-Wisconsin-protests.

Reports of similar protests spreading to Ohio and Indiana should be encouraging to all public workers. We know that with the attacks coming out of Trenton from both the Democrats and Republicans, it will be our turn next - so stay tuned!

Local 1037 Shop Steward Featured in News
Tells the Real Story of the Attacks on Public Workers

Decent press coverage of the attacks on public workers here in NJ has been hard to find. But this week Reuters interviewed some NJ state workers on the impact of Governor Christie’s pension proposals. Check out the article “Amid crisis, US state workers say: 'Don't blame us'” featuring Local 1037 Shop Steward and Division of Developmental Disabilities clerk Norlande Perpignan. (http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/17/usa-pensions-idUSN1621928920110217)
           

(Photo couortesy of Michael P. King, Wisconsin State Journal / AP)