Mar 01 2011
Inside the Movement Behind the Battle for Wisconsin
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is scheduled to present a two-year budget to his state Assembly today. A controversial complement to his budget – gutting collective bargaining rights for most public employees – turned Wisconsin’s capitol, Madison, into a battle ground over the past several weeks. Walker’s budget is expected to include additional cuts that will be vehemently opposed. He is expected to tighten the belt of Wisconsin’s public schools system through $900 million dollars in cuts to education aid. The State superintendent said the budget slash would be “unprecedented and historic”. Funds to local governments are also expected to be cut, totaling over $1 billion overall, which would actually not close the projected budget shortfall of $3.6 billion. Over the past week Walker has remained defiant and deaf to protesters. He has made the rounds on TV news shows, including Sunday morning’s Meet the Press, repeating his assertion that “the state is broke”, and refusing to negotiate with labor unions. Yesterday the Wisconsin State Employees Union, the state’s largest public employee union, went to court and filed a complaint against the Governor, alleging that he is engaging in unfair labor practices by refusing to negotiate. President Obama at the White House yesterday broke his silence on the Wisconsin battle during his address to the National Governor’s Association. Speaking in general terms about the contributions of public employees he said, “I don’t think it does anybody any good when public employees are denigrated or vilified or their rights are infringed.” Nationwide support for the Badger state is strong with public opinion polls showing majorities favor unions’ rights. And, rallies were organized at the statehouses of all 50 states, and in many cities. In downtown LA about 2000 workers, students, friends and allies rallied outside of City hall. In Madison on Saturday an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 people rallied in frigid temperatures. Meanwhile, the Madison capitol building has been locked since Monday morning. A statement from the Capitol administration said the building will be cleaned and prepped for Walker’s address tonight, and then the flow of protesters will be “adjusted.”
GUEST: Amie Williams, Los Angeles based activist and film maker
Visit Amie Williams’ You Tube Channel here: http://www.youtube.com/whywisconsin
See videos from the Capitol State House here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/afl-cio-2010-rally
One Response to “Inside the Movement Behind the Battle for Wisconsin”
It is so important for people to resist the Republican attack on the common people of the U.S. We have only gotten a middle class because of the action of unions. Factories were working (or slaving people is more like it) in the past and only be unionizing have people gotten shorter workweeks, workdays, weekends off, livable salaries, child labor laws, safer working conditions, etc., etc., etc. It is essential that we the people recognize that the attack is not against unions–it is against the people that form the unions. Standing together is the ONLY power we have against the tremendous power of wealth!