MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker proposed a bill last Thursday that would eliminate the collective bargaining rights for public workers, save police and fire departments, as well as slash pay and cut benefits with no negotiation. Walker has also notified the state’s National Guard to be on alert for actions taken by unsatisfied state, county and municipal employees. Republicans control the Wisconsin Legislature, with a 57-38-1 majority in the Assembly and a 19-14 edge in the Senate.
But dissatisfied Wisconsin workers and students gathered Monday in mass to publicly denounce what appears to be favoritism and an emerging military autocracy.
Hundreds of Wisconsin’s public employees packed the the cafeteria at Middleton High School Sunday afternoon to vehemently speak out against Walker’s austerity measure.
“I’m not intimidated by the National Guard,” said Middleton-Cross Plains district teacher Mark Voss to strong applause. “I know my fellow teachers aren’t either.” “Democracy is messy. Dictatorship is easy,” added listening session attendee Bill Delaney. “We do not intend to have a dictatorship.”
“And I dare the National Guard to drive the buses and repair the buses, and diaper the people in the centers,” said former state employee Ruth Gundlach.
Hundreds of University of Wisconsin-Madison students and their teachers told Walker Monday to back off the bill that would effectively strip public workers of all of their collective bargaining rights.
Chanting “kill this bill” and brandishing signs reading “From Cairo to Madison Workers Unite.” students, teachers and others filled the corridor leading to Walker’s Capitol office. Labor unions also mobilized, with their leaders issuing a statement Monday that Walker’s proposed bill amounted to an all out declaration of war on the working-class and unions. “Make no mistake about it, war has been declared on unions in Wisconsin,” said Teamsters representative Danny McGowan. “The attack on public sector bargaining is viewed as an attack on labor, no matter what the sector.”
Under Walker’s plan, wages could be bargained for only if they don’t exceed the consumer price index. Nearly all state, local and school employees would also have to pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care premiums.
Walker’s bill would also strike deep into the heart of union power by no longer requiring members of collective bargaining units to pay dues, or force annual votes to keep unions together. It also authorizes the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to make changes to Medicaid regardless of current State or Federal law, and to sell state power plants, without legislative or voter approval.
“The bargaining law changes would apply to all public workers except police, firefighters and state troopers. The unions for state troopers, Milwaukee police officers and Milwaukee firefighters all endorsed Walker, while most other unions endorsed his Democratic opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett,” noted the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO in a statement made Monday.
Great! So Republicans elected an authoritarian sociopath. It’s wrong to threaten martial law before there is even a suggestion of civil unrest. It’s like he wants to create a situation justifying a show of force. Luckily, the guy is showing his hand before we fell into a false sense of security. He’s a Hitler in the making and an asshole that needs to be removed from office NOW!!