Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Wisconsinites demand no cuts to benefits for Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security

Wisconsin’s working families gathered in Milwaukee, Racine and Eau Claire today to call on Congress to close tax loopholes for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans instead of cutting Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare for families. Participants demanded that fringe Republicans in Congress stop holding the economy hostage to push a radical agenda that decimates family-supporting programs.

“Voters in Wisconsin sent a clear message this past election,” said Mary Land from Racine. “We want our elected leaders to address the real problems facing our economy. Demanding benefit cuts to working family programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, rather than making corporations and the richest 2% pay their fair share, isn’t the way to go.”

In Racine, community members gathered outside Rep. Paul Ryan's office to tell him to protect our seniors from budget cuts and protect Medicaid and Social Security in the upcoming budget negotiations. 

In Eau Claire, residents gathered outside Rep. Kind’s office to urge him against cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

“Republicans are yet again holding the economy hostage with another manufactured crisis,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. “It’s time for our elected officials to stop making drastic cuts to the services their constituents need to get back on their feet, and close tax loopholes that only further benefit the wealthy and profit corporations.”

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO endorses Tony Evers for State Superintendent

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO representing 200,000 Wisconsin workers has endorsed Tony Evers for State Superintendent. 

“Tony Evers has stood up for Wisconsin's kids and working families at every turn, fighting back against devastating cuts in funding to our education system,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “Tony Evers understands the vital role public schools play in providing a pathway into the middle class for Wisconsin children.” 

“Tony Evers has dedicated his life to putting Wisconsin’s children first and to improving education across our state,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.  “His dedication and innovative ideas will lead our schools forward to best meet the needs of our kids and our communities.” 

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Endorses Ed Fallone for Supreme Court

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, which represents 200,000 Wisconsin workers, has endorsed Ed Fallone for Wisconsin Supreme Court. 

“Ed Fallone is the most qualified candidate running for Wisconsin Supreme Court,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. “He has the experience, integrity and independence to ensure that the law is applied fairly and equally to all Wisconsinites.  We believe he will be an ethical and impartial judge bringing balance and civility to our courts.”

Local control under attack in Milwaukee County – Call your Legislator

Special interests groups are aggressively backing a plan to reduce funding for the Milwaukee County Board by over 80% as well as make the elected positions part-time. 

This is an overreach of state government into local politics.  It’s a blatant attack on democracy and on citizen rights to meaningful representation.  County Supervisors’ are closest to residents and provide the first resource for citizen questions, concerns and ideas.   The voices of Milwaukee residents will be dramatically silenced if the Board is cut or reduced and all the power will be in the hands of the County Executive. 

Milwaukee County is the branch of government responsible for courts, prisons, mental health services, transit, parks and other cultural and social services. The proposed changes to the Board would all but eliminate County Supervisors’ ability to provide adequate oversight of these crucial services.

Call your state legislator today and tell them to leave Milwaukee County government to Milwaukee County residents.

This is nothing more than political payback and a consolidation of power.  The Board provides an essential check on the Office of the County Executive.   After years of spirited debate with Scott Walker’s Administration, right-wing special interests groups are now looking to erode the check the Board provides on the County Executive.  This is a shameless and naked power grab and a blatant overreach of state government in local politics.  It flies in the face of our system of checks and balances by disempowering one branch of government. 

Wisconsin is currently 42nd in the nation in job creation.  The number one focus of our state legislators should be the creation of good, family-sustaining jobs for Wisconsin, not taking away local control and dismantling our democracy.  

Call your state legislator today and tell them to focus on job creation not Milwaukee County politics.

Judicial Update on Act 10

Late last week a federal appeals court upheld Gov. Walker’s union-busting law stripping public employees of their right to collectively bargain.  This is a disappointing decision and a step backwards for workers in the state of Wisconsin, but we must continue the fight for all working people and keep up the struggle to restore rights lost in the public sector. 

There are two additional court cases working their way through the legal system, each with different legal arguments and strong legal theories on why Gov. Walker’s Act 10 is unconstitutional.  The timeline for these court decisions is unknown.  It is important to note that these cases may eventually end up in the conservatively dominated Wisconsin Supreme Court. 

Currently, the state ruling by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas still stands, so the ability to bargain wages, hours, and working conditions, retain payroll deduction and not have annual re-certification votes is still in effect for city, county and school workers. 

Regardless of what courts rule, stripping workers of their right to collectively bargain is morally and ethically wrong.  In a democracy, workers deserve the right to join together to improve their working conditions.  This court decision will not dampen our desire to do what is right for workers in Wisconsin.

Gov. Walker's State of the State Light on Details

While Governor Walker’s State of the State Tuesday night was full of theatrics and talking points, it was light on details. 

The facts are that under Gov. Walker’s leadership Wisconsin is slipping further and further away from strengthening the middle class by creating good, family-sustaining jobs.  Gov. Walker promised to create 250,000 jobs during his first term as Governor.  At the halfway point of his goal, a mere 37,000 jobs have been created, less than 15% of his target.

This isn’t good enough.  There are steps we can take together to create jobs and get Wisconsin back on track.  We need to get workers back on the job by investing in training programs that supply manufacturers with properly trained workers.  We need to boost our infrastructure in order to compete in the global economy, not mangle train deals and refuse federal funding for high-speed rail initiatives. 

Gov. Walker talks about a balanced budget, but he balanced the budget on the backs of workers and at the expense of the middle class by attacking public employee’s rights to collective bargaining and drastically cutting funding for schools and health care programs. 

Recklessly, Gov. Walker enacted the biggest cuts to public education in state history, cut $500 million from health care programs that help children, families and seniors and froze enrollment and created waiting lists for the FamilyCare program that helps senior and persons with disabilities get the care they need so that they can remain in their homes.  

At the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO we hope the new legislative session brings politicians together to create good, family-supporting jobs for Wisconsin families.  This new year, let’s put the partisan politics and political games aside and put the middle class families of Wisconsin first. 

What's Next in the "Fiscal Cliff" Debate?

This is a cross-post from the AFL-CIO Blog Now.

It’s back! Just when you thought you might never hear the words “fiscal cliff” again, the sequel to this horror movie is about to be released. Look for it in your local theater, radio, television and website – non-stop, 24/7 – beginning sometime in February.

Yes, those irrepressible Republicans in Congress have cooked up yet another manufactured crisis and are once again holding the U.S. economy hostage. This time they are threatening to cause a U.S. government default unless they get their way. You know—the same stunt they pulled last summer. And what are congressional Republicans demanding as ransom to spare the economy? The same things they were demanding last time we went through this ordeal: benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.

Please don’t encourage them. If they get away with hostage-taking this time, they’re going to do it again and again and again. Somebody has to stand up to the bullies.

We are asking elected officials to stand up to Republican hostage-taking by doing the following:

1. Oppose benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid.
     
2. Close loopholes for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans.

Any further deficit reduction should come from closing loopholes for Wall Street, drug companies and the richest 2% of Americans, not from budget cuts that threaten the 98% (such as cuts to education and vital services for low-income people). Here are a few examples of loopholes that should be closed:

• Close tax loopholes that allow U.S. corporations to lower their effective tax rate when they send jobs overseas.

• Close tax loopholes to make Wall Street firms pay their fair share in taxes.

• Limit tax deductions for the richest 2% of Americans.

• Close the loophole that prohibits Medicare from negotiating lower drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.

2013 Session is Wisconsin’s Moment to Get Back On Track

As Wisconsin’s new legislative session convened for the 2013 session, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt issued the following statement:

“After years of severe budget cuts and attacks on workers’ rights that have only made life harder for Wisconsin’s middle class, elected leaders have an opportunity to pursue legislation that will move Wisconsin forward and create an economy that works for all.

“Instead of asking the richest to pay their fair share, our elected leaders continue cutting the very services that Wisconsinites need to get back on their feet. Working families didn’t break our economy, but we’ve been stuck with the bill in the form of slashed funding for our schools, hospitals, public safety, roads and bridges, along with severe attacks on workplace freedoms and voting rights. At a time when the economy continues struggling to recover and many families are still waiting for employment to pick up, working Wisconsinites need more economic security, not less.

“It is time for our elected leaders to stop the attacks on working people and to focus on the things that all Wisconsinites care about: high-quality public education for our children, good jobs and wages that can support our families, expanded access to healthcare, investments to rebuild our infrastructure and restoring rights lost to public sector workers. 

“This new session is an opportunity for Wisconsin to refocus on jobs and get back on track to rebuilding our state’s economy.”

WI Union Members 'Blanket' Brown County

This is a crosspost from the AFL-CIO Blog Now.

Wisconsin union members are working to keep area residents warm this winter with the Brown County United Way and the Greater Green Bay Labor Council Community Services Committee. The two groups are hosting the second annual Blanketing Brown County drive, collecting new and gently used blankets for distribution to area shelters and agencies. Blanketing Brown County begins today and continues through Jan. 29.

In addition to sites where the public can donate blankets, a number of companies and organizations have allowed for internal employee collection at work locations.

Last year’s inaugural drive, sponsored by the Greater Green Bay Labor Council Community Services Committee, collected more than 800 blankets for distribution to 23 Brown County programs serving homeless and low-income men, women and children.

Public drop locations include Brown County library branches, Green Bay fire stations and Shopko stores.

A complete list of public donation sites can be found on Facebook.