Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

300,000 signatures in 12 days!

In the first 12 days alone recall activists and volunteers have collected over 300,000 signatures of Wisconsin voters who want to recall Gov. Walker.  The momentum is spreading and we are on track to recall Gov. Walker in order put an end to his attacks on working families. 

We aren’t resting now!  It is important to remember that we need to surpass the number of required signatures.  Each and every signature will face multiple legal challenges from Gov. Walker’s lawyers.  It is important to build up a strong cushion and collect as many signatures as possible.  The 60-day window to gather 540,000 signatures to qualify for an election ends Jan. 17.

Not sure where to sign, pick up or drop off a recall petition? 

•    Stop by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, 6333 W. Bluemound Road in Milwaukee to sign or pick up petitions.

•    Click here to download petitions to print, complete and return by mail or in person. 

•    Many local union halls, offices and labor councils have petitions available and will collect completed petitions.  Give your local labor hall a call today!

 

 

Check out new recall Walker buttons and posters at http://www.standwisconsin.org/. 

Wisconsin Workers Stand with Machinists on Strike at Manitowoc Crane

 

One hundred and eighty men and women of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 10, Local 516, are on strike at Manitowoc Crane. 

 

Workers at Manitowoc Crane are not just fighting for their own rights, they are fighting for the rights of all working people and the middle class.     

“The Wisconsin AFL-CIO is in full support of the machinists on strike.  We pledge our assistance in the coming days and weeks as these workers continue to exercise their right to bring justice to the workplace,” explained Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO and a member of the IAM local at General Electric Medical Systems.    

 

“Recent contract changes at Manitowoc Crane go too far,” explained Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “Workers are tightening their belts during this holiday season so that we can all have a better workplace and a better future for our children.  We support our brothers and sisters at Manitowoc Crane in their struggle as they stand up for middle class families across the state.”

To find out more about the strike and how you can help visit http://www.iamlodge516.org/. 

Buy Union This Holiday Season

"Black Friday" marks the start of the holiday season.  As you head to the stores in order to take advantage of the great deals, we encourage you to continue to shop union.

 

November 25 – December 2 is also “Buy Union” week.  Given the volatile state of the economy—marked by huge job losses, declines in take-home pay and increased costs—it makes more sense than ever to focus the purchasing power of union families on the goods and services that those families create. Supporting union made products helps keep good jobs in the community.

Look for the union label as you shop this holiday season.  Stand with Wisconsin gear is 100% union-made in the U.S.A. You can purchase T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, and more at http://www.standwisconsin.org/.

 

 

 

Simply click on the “Shop Our Store” button on the bottom left-hand area of the http://www.standwisconsin.org/  page for a list of great union-made holiday gifts and apparel. 

Brand new items include posters and greeting cards by local artist Susan Simensky Bietila.  Simensky Bietila is a Milwaukee Public School Nurse and MTEA union member.   With scratchboard and watercolor she captures the Rotunda at the height of the protests. 

30,000 Rally in Madison; 105,000 Signatures Collected Statewide

The streets surrounding the Capitol were filled Saturday with Wisconsinites old and young as an estimated crowd of 30,000+ took to the streets to stand up for our Wisconsin.

The rally marked the beginning of the recall effort of Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four other Republican State Senators.

Recall petitions circulated the crowd as working families continue to reclaim their state from a Governor who relentlessly puts corporate special interests above the people.  Recall organizers announced that in the first four days of signature collection they have collected 105,000 signatures.  This number does not include any signatures gathered at the weekend rally.

Barb Weisenberger, an Eau Claire resident and mother of two, explained why she signed a recall petition.

At 51 I proudly put myself through college and graduated magna cum laude from UW-Eau Claire.  I  quickly found a job at Community Health Partnership, an organization which empowers people with long-term care needs to stay out of nursing homes, live independently and maintain their quality of life.  I was never going to get rich but I could support my family doing a job I found fulfilling.  Then along came Walker.  Gov. Walker capped Managed Care Organizations, like Community Health Partnership and cost me my livelihood.  The man who campaigned on jobs, jobs, jobs is responsible for me losing mine.  My family is not alone; nearly 50 of my former co-workers lost their jobs as well along with our contractors and suppliers.  And many of our members – the elderly and disabled – are left to their own devices.” 

One reason for signing recall petitions was clear:  Wisconsin cannot wait.  We cannot take three more years of Gov. Walker’s reckless policies.   

Jennifer Jagloswki, has worked in the same factory for 25 years making aluminum cans.  Now, thanks to Gov. Walker’s cuts to Badgercare, her children may lose their health care.

“Despite the fact that both my husband and I work, we don’t make a lot of money.  Because adding my children and I to my husband’s insurance plan would cost us over half of our income, we are currently on Badgercare.  Scott Walker is significantly lowering the threshold for eligibility for Badgercare, and we would just miss the new cutoff.  Like so many other low-income working families, Badgercare has truly been a lifeline for us.  It has meant my kids have had access to health care when they’ve needed it.  Health and well-being should not be luxuries for the rich.”

Petitions were not just signed in Madison on Saturday but in all seventy-two counties of the state.

To download a recall petition which you can print out and have your friends and family sign, click here. 

Mail in the completed petition to the address listed or drop by at a trusted recall office ASAP. 

You're Invited: Stand Up for Our Wisconsin Rally

Building on enthusiasm from last Tuesday’s events, thousands of Wisconsinites will gather at the Capitol on Saturday, November 19, to sign recall petitions and rally for a better Wisconsin. 

Workers and community members will address the crowd and detail how they have been negatively impacted by Gov. Walker’s agenda.  Pre-rally activities will begin at 11:00 a.m. and the rally program will begin at 1:00 p.m. 

Teamsters Joint Council 39 will sponsor a “Can Walker Food Drive” at the rally.  Participants are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to help feed Wisconsin families in need this holiday season. 

 

What:         Stand Up for Our Wisconsin Rally

Where:      Wisconsin Capitol, State St. Side

When:        Saturday, November 19
                   Pre-rally activities begin at 11:00 a.m. Rally program begins at 1:00 p.m.

Thousands Rally in Wauwatosa for Recall Kick-Off

Last night, Nov. 15, to mark the first day of the effort to recall Gov. Walker, thousands of Wisconsinites gathered in the practice fields of Juneau High School in Milwaukee.

“At a time when Wisconsin is supposed to be open for business, how can we compete if we don’t invest in education,” explained Julio Guerrero, a student at UW-Milwaukee, to the lively crowd of thousands. 
 
The energy and excitement was high as community members from all walks of life gathered to sign recall petitions, pick up petitions to take home and participate in a brief rally.

“I am here because I am ready to recall Scott Walker,” explained Amy Daroszeski, a high school teacher from Milwaukee.  “There is not just one reason why Gov. Walker should be recalled, there are a host, explained Daroszeski.  "He has made severe cuts to education which directly affects my classroom, he has limited the collective bargaining rights of thousands of hard-working public employees and the list goes on.” 

Michael Bolton, District 2 Director of the United Steelworkers, addressed the crowd which had come together to educate each other about why Scott Walker should be recalled.  “In Gov. Walker’s Wisconsin, the rich get richer while the rest of sacrifice.  That is not the state slogan I know,” explained Bolton. 
   
After the rally, thousands marched through the streets of Wauwatosa to sign recall petitions on the front lawn of Gov. Walker’s neighbors. 

Bob Peterson, Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association President proclaimed, “it’s time to reclaim Wisconsin for the 99%.  We have all suffered under Gov. Walker.  Because of Gov. Walker our children may not have music, art, librarians or physical education teachers.  The students of Wisconsin cannot endure another three years of Scott Walker.  We must put an end to his devastating agenda now.”

Connie Smith, who works in a labor and delivery unit in St. Francis Hospital, is a proud member of Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (WFNHP).  “I won’t stand idly by while Scott Walker hurts patient care.  I became a health professional because I care about the well-being of people.  I want to do everything I can to ensure that patients get the best care possible.  I cannot sit by and be silent when I see something that can help my patients.  Collective bargaining gives me that voice to speak up for my patients and Scott Walker had no right to take it away.” 

Have you signed a recall petition?  If not, stop by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO at 6333 W. Bluemound Road in Milwaukee.  Most local union halls and labor centers around the state also have petitions to sign.

 

 

Click here for pictures of the event which was sponsored by We are Milwaukee.

The Recall of Gov. Walker Has Begun

Wisconsin has united to recall Gov. Scott Walker and put an end to his undemocratic attacks on Wisconsin’s middle class. 

Recall petitions begn circulating at midnight on Tuesday, November 15.  Official petitions will be taken out under The Committee to Recall Walker.  You can look for this name at the top right-hand corner of the recall petition you sign. 

The people will have 60 days to collect 540,206 signatures.  Download a recall petition here.

You can stop by the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, 6333 W. Bluemound Road, or your local union council, temple or hall to sign a petition. 

“From Kenosha to Hudson to Marinette, the people of Wisconsin are ready to recall an undemocratic Governor who tricked the electorate last November,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “Never once did Gov. Walker campaign on going after nurses, teachers, snow plow drivers and other hard-working public employees by stripping them of their collective bargaining rights.  Never once did Gov. Walker campaign on the devastating cuts he would force onto local communities.” 

Be sure to bring the petitions with you to holiday gatherings, walks through your neighborhood, shopping trips, hunting trips and any location where you could run into family, friends and supporters.

“In order for Wisconsin to have a strong middle class we need to change direction,” explained Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “Over 65,000 Wisconsinites, half of them children, are being kicked off Medicaid; 40% of our children’s classrooms are increasing in size; working families are being made scapegoats for budget situations they didn’t create and family-supporting jobs are not being created at the rate Wisconsinites expect.  This is not the Wisconsin way and the citizens of the state have taken it upon themselves to change course.” 

Upcoming Events

Nov. 15:  Kick-off rally hosted by We are Milwaukee
4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Juneau High School Practice Field, 6415 W. Mount Vernon, Milwaukee.  Share the Face Book event.

Nov. 15:  Recall Training, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, 6333 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee

Nov. 19:  Stand Up for Our Wisconsin Rally

11:00 am – 2:00 pm, rally program at 1:00 pm at the Capitol in Madison.  Share the Face Book event.

Ohio Sends a Message, Don't Mess with Union Rights

Today Ohio working families occupied the polls, voted NO on Issue 2 and repealed Senate Bill 5. Senate Bill 5 was a massive attack on the middle class and would have stripped public employees of their right to collectively bargain.

“Working families in Ohio went to the polls and voted to support Ohio’s public employees and their right to collectively bargain today,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, President Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. “Unlike Ohio, Wisconsin workers do not have the opportunity to put a referendum on the ballot. Thankfully we have the right to recall. Today’s win in Ohio has energized and excited Wisconsin workers to recall Gov. Walker and put a stop to his attack on working families.”

“Tonight’s vote in Ohio sends a clear message to politicians across America that the public firmly believes that a worker’s right to a union is a fundamental underpinning of the middle class,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer.

Wisconsin Stands with Ohio to Protect Worker Rights

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO travels to Ohio to join in the fight to repeal Senate Bill 5.  Senate Bill 5, which will be on Ohio’s ballot as Issue 2 this Tuesday, November 8, would strip Ohio’s public employees of the right to collectively bargain.

Senate Bill 5 would greatly impact the safety of Ohio citizens as police forces, nurses and fire fighters would no longer be able to bargain over appropriate staffing levels.  This Tuesday Ohio voters have the opportunity to stop the extreme attack on working people by repealing SB 5 and voting “No” on Issue 2.

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is helping educate Ohio voters on the issue by hitting the streets of Columbus and going door to door to talk with Ohioans.

"We are getting involved in the fight to defeat Issue 2/SB 5 because it is a continuation of what we saw happen in Wisconsin," said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt.  "There is a national assault on working families being coordinated by extreme right-wing corporate interests who want to see the top one percent control even more of our country.  We are sending a strong message, like we sent during the recalls in Wisconsin this summer, that attacking workers' rights is wrong for Ohio and the nation."

You can help protect the rights of working people from the comfort of your home by using the remote caller by clicking here.  Once you create an account you will be given a script and a list of Ohio phone numbers to call.  Grab your phone and join in the fight today!  Polls are open until 6:00 pm central time on Tuesday, November 8.

The Wisconsin AFL-CIO has brought the fight of the Wisconsin workers to Ohio.  Over 70 lbs. of brats were delivered in solidarity to feed hundreds of volunteers in Columbus.

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt and Ohio State AFL-CIO President Tim Burga manned the grills on Sunday night to cook brats for hundreds of phone banking and canvassing volunteers. 

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Stephanie Bloomingdale rallied volunteers at a canvass kick-off rally on Sunday afternoon. 


“We are here because your fight is our fight and our fight is to reclaim the middle class,” exclaimed Bloomingdale to a crowd gathered at the Fire Fighters Local 67 Hall in Columbus.  “Not surprising, we are seeing the same corporate front groups involved in Issue 2/SB 5 that are defending Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his extreme political allies.  This is a coordinated effort to destroy the middle class to further enrich the wealthy.  But we can set them back, like we did in Wisconsin, if we win here in Ohio.  That is why we are involved in this effort because an attack on one is an attack on all."

Grab your phone and help GOTV for Ohio families by clicking here to use the remote calling tool.

Gov. Walker Gets Mic Checked

When Gov.  Walker gave a speech at Chicago's Union League Club the morning of Nov 3, he had some unexpected guests.  Stand Up! Chicago,  Occupy Chicago Protestors, the Chicago Teacher's Union and other union members mic checked the Governor for the 99%. 

Signature collection to recall Gov. Walker will begin on Nov. 15, 2011.