Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Forward, Together in Solidarity.

It has been an exciting and busy year at the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  Last March, over 60,000 Wisconsinites marched through the streets of Madison to reclaim Wisconsin.  Last January, a coalition of labor, community and faith groups delivered one million signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker. 

Every action, election and community gathering has been an important step in our march toward social and economic justice for all working people.  

Last year we faced immense obstacles with the passage of Act 10, but workers are resiliently coming together in new ways to develop innovative forms of unionism.  Together, we participated in democracy and stood up for our beliefs and values at every opportunity.  We will continue to build upon our grassroots movement dedicated to advancing the lives of all working people in our community. 

In 2012, we stood up for voting rights, for our rights as workers, for health care rights and for a living wage.  We talked with our friends, family and neighbors, knocked doors, made phone calls and delivered Wisconsin for President Barack Obama and Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin. 

The New Year marks a new beginning.  A time for all of us to come together to focus on fixing our economy.  We need our elected leaders to put partisan politics aside and work together to create good jobs for all of Wisconsin. 

We look forward to advancing an agenda built upon rebuilding our economy with good, middle-class jobs, restoring worker rights in the public sector, building stronger communities and protecting the rights of all working people. 

Together we are stronger.  Workers Indivisible. 

Happy New Year from the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO!

In Fiscal Cliff Deal, Everyone Deserves a Wonderful Life

Watch this new fiscal cliff ad in which Speaker Boehner is linked to Mr. Potter from the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life.

Buy Wisconsin Holiday Challenge

The holiday season provides a boost to our economy each year.  This year, let’s make it a local boost! 

We are challenging all of our supporters to Buy Wisconsin this holiday season.  This allows for us to support Wisconsin jobs, Wisconsin workers and Wisconsin families.

Just one purchase can make a difference.  Economists estimate that if each American spends $64 on U.S. items this holiday season, we’d create 200,000 jobs.

Here are some gift ideas for your Buy Wisconsin Shopping List.  You can submit your own ideas at the Wisconsin AFL-CIO Face Book page.

•    Regal Ware Pots and Pans, made in West Bend.
•    Wigwam Socks, made in Sheboygan.
•    Rowe Pottery, made in Cambridge.
•    Miller Beer, made in Milwaukee.
•    Usinger’s Sausage and Smoked Meats, made in Milwaukee.
•    Klement’s Sausages.
•    Red Wing Boots, made in Minnesota, but so close!
•    Carmex Lip Balm, made in Franklin, makes a great stocking stuffer.
•    Cold Weather Gear at Wolf Song Wear, made in Bayfield, or Technical Advantage Gear.
•    John Deere lawn mowers made in Horicon.
•    Master Lock locks made in Milwaukee.
•    Locally hand-made goods including this greeting card by a Milwaukee artist.

*For someone who has been extra nice this year -- a Harley Davidson Motorcycle!

It is always important to buy American and buy union-made whenever possible to support American workers and companies who provide a living wage for their employees. 

When picking out greeting cards, wrapping paper and other holiday items, check the label to see where it is made. 

Conscious shoppers help keep good jobs in America!

Watch Big Michigan 'Right to Work' for Less Actions Live

UPDATE: Republican Michigan lawmakers who’ve rammed “right to work” for less legislation through the state House and Senate, didn’t have to do much original work in drafting the anti-worker law.  They just turned to model legislation playbook from the extremist American Legislative Council (ALEC) and copied verbatim. Take a look at this side-by-side comparison from our friends at the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD).

UPDATE: Last week, when Michigan Republicans in the state House and Senate rammed through  “right to work” for less legislation, they tried to ensure the measure would never come before voters by including an appropriation, which, under Michigan law, means it cannot be put to a “citizens  veto” referendum. This morning, House Republicans defeated an amendment to eliminate the funding that would have made right to work referendum-eligible in 2013 and, if qualified for the ballot, delayed the law’s implementation.

But with a higher signature threshold, Michigan working families can put an initiative on the 2014 ballot to overturn the “right to work” for less law. It also would force Snyder and his Republican colleagues running for re-election to defend their undemocratic steamrolling of the bill through the legislature. 

UPDATE:Estimates from the Michigan State Police peg the crowd at more than 10,000 people outside the Capitol in Lansing and some 2,500 inside.

UPDATE: As today’s big action gets under way, a new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) refutes Gov. Rick Snyder’s (R) claims and those of other backers of “right to work” for less that such laws boost a state’s economy, draw new businesses and grow jobs. The report looks at the impact of "right to work" in Indiana—which Snyder cited as a success model—and finds no proof that a single company moved to the state because of “right to work” or that the law has significantly impacted Hoosier job growth. Read the report.

Today, thousands of people are coming together in Lansing, Mich., to march on the state Capitol to fight back against Gov. Rick Snyder’s (R) and Republican legislators’ steamrolling “right to work” for less legislation without public debate or hearings.  

The UAW will live-stream portions of the march and rally. Here is the Ustream link and you can visit the UAW Facebook page for live-streaming updates.

You also can follow the action at http://wearemich.org/ or  Michigan AFL-CIO on Twitter.   

(this is a cross-post from the AFL-CIO Blog Now as of 12/11/12 4:00 p.m. CST)

Candlelight Campaign against Cuts

Hundreds of working people joined together with religious leaders and community members on Monday, December 10, in Appleton, Janesville, Kenosha, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids to urge Congress to end tax cuts for the rich and protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security in the ongoing fiscal cliff budget showdown.

At candlelight vigils, carnation vigils, and marches across the state Wisconsinites urged elected representatives to hold the line in the lame duck session and fully preserve vital programs like Social Security and Medicare that millions of Americans depend on. 

“In one of the most prosperous countries in the world, everyone should be able to retire with health and dignity,” said Sue Conard, a retired nurse from La Crosse. “Working families across the country have made it clear that we need to protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits. Millions of working people, jobless people and retirees shouldn’t have to sacrifice their health care and retirement security so that the richest 2% can continue getting more tax breaks. It’s time for our elected leaders to focus on creating an economy that invests in jobs, healthcare and education for all.”

At a carnation vigil in Milwaukee, Rev. Willie Brisco, President of MICAH, made clear this is a bi-partisan issue:

“all parties need to come together to solve our countries problems and do what is good for the people.  We have people deciding if they can eat or if they can go to the doctor.  No more cuts, make the rich pay their fair share and let’s come together as one nation, one people.” 

Ed Jude, a Vietnam veteran from Milwaukee, explained, “my daughter suffers from sickle cell anemia and is in the hospital every few months for a blood transfer.  Should she be without BadgerCare?  No.  What would happen to her children?  I did not serve my country so that people with the least go without so that the people with the most can line their pockets.  I am calling on Sen. Kohl to do the right thing, pledge not to support any deal with cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid."  

Since the election, working people in Wisconsin have been mobilizing around the lame duck session to raise our voices as one and encourage our elected leaders to put partisan politics aside and the American people first. The House GOP plan is the same agenda that voters rejected last November.  It is time for Congress to listen to the will of the voters and raise taxes on the top 2% as well as protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

 

Actions took place today outside the Wisconsin offices of Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Herb Kohl, Rep. Ron Kind, Rep. Reid Ribble and Rep. Paul Ryan. 

Wisconsin Workers Stand in Solidarity with Michigan

Wisconsin workers are packing up their rally gear and heading to Lansing.  Last week, extreme Tea Party legislators in Michigan’s state house and senate rammed through partisan legislation that would destroy Michigan’s middle class by driving down wages, taking away the voice on the job for workers and making it easier to outsource jobs.

This sneak attack on workers’ rights is pure partisan politics. RTW laws lower wages by an average of $1,540 a worker.  Median household income is $6,437 less in RTW states.  And states with RTW laws have higher rates of poverty and more accidents in the work place. 

Michigan workers have been protesting by the thousands across the state for days.  The Governor is expected to sign the law Tuesday, December 11, and working people are heading to the Capitol in mass to protest.

Working people everywhere are showing their support by raising their voice on social media, wearing red on Monday or making calls.  

Start making calls now to stop this attack on Michigan’s middle class from passing:

 go.workersvoice.org/Stand-With-MI

 

We know in the labor movement that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us and we must be diligent to protect the rights that others have died for. 

Workers' Rights Under Attack in Michigan

Our brothers and sisters in Michigan are under attack.  Yesterday was a dark day for democracy in Michigan. The people were shut out of their own Capitol so that lawmakers could better serve corporate special interests.

In a move which trampled debate and democracy, workers’ rights were thrown out the window as the State Legislature rammed through a union-busting bill designed to bust unions, reduce benefits, and lower wages for ALL workers. 

In just one day, both the state House and Senate introduced and passed a so called “right to work for less” bill -- a divide and conquer strategy to roll back workers’ rights 100 years by crippling solidarity among working people.  States with these RTW laws have higher poverty rates, more accidents in the workplace and lower wages for all workers.  These bills have NO correlation with job creation and are nothing but a corporate backed attempt to keep wages low. 

The bills were passed among massive protests by working people at the Capitol.  Shamefully, protesters were locked out of their own state Capitol and some in the crowd were maced by the police.  On top of all this, the bills are being rammed through in the lame duck session because the GOP will not have the votes when the new legislature is sworn in.  This is clearly not what democracy looks like; this is an assault on our rights as workers and an assault on our democracy. 

The fight is not over.  Due to legislative rules, the bill is held for 5 days.  We have the weekend to stand up for our rights and tell Michigan’s Gov. Snyder that this anti-worker bill is wrong.  Sign this petition against RTW or call Gov. Snyder at (517) 373-3400.  There will also be a rally on Tuesday in Lansing.  Supporters will be gathering at 9:00 a.m. at the state Capitol.

Please check the Michigan AFL-CIO Face Book and Twitter pages for updates over the weekend.  We will stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Michigan and we will continue the fight. 

Michigan’s Gov. Snyder was elected in 2010.  Over the last two years he has repeatedly stated that RTW laws were not a priority for Michigan.  This all changed yesterday when Gov. Snyder held a last minute press conference to announce that he not only supported the legislation for Michigan, but would sign it when it came to his desk. 

The billionaires behind Michigan’s anti-worker law are the same ones who were behind Gov. Walker’s union-busting law --  The Koch Brothers.  As the Detroit Free Press reports:  “Gov. Snyder's right-to-work initiative has the coordinated support of Americans for Prosperity, the conservative non-profit organization that funded Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's efforts to strip that state's public employee unions of their collective bargaining rights.  AFP was founded by wealthy industrialists Charles and David Koch.”

An assault on Michigan workers is an assault on workers’ rights everywhere.  We must be diligent and stand up for our rights as workers in Wisconsin and everywhere.  United we stand, divided we fall. 

JOIN US December 10: Candlelight Campaign Against Cuts

We just had an election in which one candidate, Mitt Romney, proposed to lower tax rates for the richest 2% of Americans and cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. He lost.

Now, we are asking Congress to respect the will of the voters by promising to:

1.    Let the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2% of Americans expire.

2.   Oppose benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Join us around the state on Monday, December 10 as we participate in a Candlelight Campaign Against Cuts to lobby our Congressperson to do what is right for the American people during the lame duck congressional session. 

• Appleton: 4:00 p.m. candlelight vigil outside Rep. Ribble's Appleton office at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W. College Ave., Appleton.

• Janesville: 4:00 p.m. candlelight vigil outside Rep. Ryan’s Office, 20 South Main St., Janesville, WI 53545.

• Kenosha: 4:00 p.m. candlelight vigil outside of Rep. Ryan’s Kenosha office, 5455 Sheridan Rd., Kenosha, WI 53140.

• La Crosse: 4:00 p.m. candlelight vigil outside Rep. Kind's office, 205 Fifth Avenue South, La Crosse, WI 54601.

• Madison:  4:00 p.m. candlelight vigil at Sen. Kohl’s office, 14 W. Mifflin St., Madison, WI 53703.

• Milwaukee:  10:00 a.m. carnation vigil at Senator Herb Kohl’s office, 310 W. Wisconsin Ave.  Followed by a march to Senator Ron Johnson’s office.
  

• Wausau:  12:00 p.m., 400 block of downtown Wausau.  Sing Christmas Carols about jobs and hand out pieces of coal from Rep. Duffy for his lack of worker-friendly legislation this session.

• Wisconsin Rapids: 3:00 p.m. candlelight vigil outside Laborer's Hall, 220 Johnson St., 54493.

Make your voice heard; join us at an action near you on Monday, December 10.

Take Action: Call Congress for Jobs, Not Cuts

President Obama and Congress are negotiating a deficit reduction deal right now. Nationwide citizens are calling their

Call Congress at 888-659-9401. Tell them NO cuts to Social Security and Medicare. NO tax cuts for the rich. 

Our elected leaders need to put partisan politics aside and do what is right for middle class Americans.  That means asking the wealthy to pay their fair say and protecting vital programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Let's make out voices heard as one, call 888-659-9401 today!

LETTERS: Same-Day Registration a Necessity for Some

In a speech on Nov. 16 Gov. Scott Walker called for the repeal of Wisconsin's same-day registration law.

Same-day registration encourages participation in our democracy.  In a letter to the Editor of the Wisconsin State Journal, a Verona resident outlines why same-day voter registration is essential for working people across the state. 

Poll workers have also spoken agaisnt Walker's plan to end same-day registration explaining that are well able to handle new voters on Election Day.