Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Blog

Wisconsin Government, Sold to the Highest Bidder

This week marks another low point in Wisconsin history. Gov. Scott Walker and his Republican-controlled legislature are gearing up to crush Wisconsin’s proud history of open, honest and transparent democracy with a horde of bad government bills. Everything from weakening campaign finance regulations, to dismantling our nonpartisan election agency and removing the ability to investigate political crimes through a John Doe investigation is on the table for a vote this week in the Assembly.

 

Bills are rushing through the legislature, one after another, at lightning speed. The Assembly plans to take a vote on the following bills tomorrow, Tuesday, October 20.

 

Please contact your legislator and tell them these bills are bad for our democracy.

 

Dismantling the Government Accountability Board (Senate Bill 294/Assembly Bill 388)

 

Instead of working to create jobs and raise wages for working people, Republicans are turning their attention to dismantling the state’s nonpartisan, watchdog ethics board – the Government Accountability Board. The GAB is charged with investigating campaign finance violations and overseeing state elections. Editorial Boards around the state have warned that dismantling the GAB is bad for democracy. Changes to the independent GAB are a clear partisan power grab and an attack on good government.

 

Campaign Finance Bill (Senate Bill 292/Assembly Bill 387)

 

Seeking to cash-in on special interest dark money and campaign contributions from wealthy individuals, Republicans have introduced a bill to eviscerate current campaign finance regulations by rewriting our state statutes covering reporting requirements and coordination between candidates, political parties, and independent groups.

 

The bill would double the amount that individuals can donate to state and local candidates and allow for unlimited corporate donations to political parties and legislative committees. Just like they did when Republicans tried to gut the “Wisconsin Idea” in the budget process, this bill deletes the preamble to the state’s campaign finance laws, removing language that calls for “fair and impartial elections” and affirms the state’s responsibility to “protect the integrity” of the election process.

 

By putting our democracy up for sale to the highest bidder, Republicans are hoping to buy power and control.

 

Removing John Doe Investigative Authority (Senate Bill 43/Assembly Bill 68)

 

This bill would make it easier for politicians to break the law by not allowing political crimes to be investigated and prosecuted through the John Doe process. Removing the John Doe investigative authority paves the way for political corruption and coordination to go unchecked.

 

**In Committee**

 

The following bills are not slated for an Assembly vote tomorrow, but should be on your radar. They

include a bogus online voter registration bill that actually makes it harder for seniors and others to vote as well as devastating changes to our civil service system.

 

An Anti-Senior Electronic Voting Registration Bill (Senate Bill 295/Assembly Bill 389)

 

This bill would allow for online voter registration in Wisconsin, but it would eliminate Special Registration Deputies (SRDs) who go in person to register individuals in care facilities like nursing homes and engage in voter drives across the state. Eliminating Special Registration Deputies would decrease voter engagement by senior citizens and people with disabilities.

 

Civil Service Law Changes (Senate Bill 285/Assembly Bill 373)

 

The Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations has scheduled an Executive Committee Vote on Wednesday, October 21 to advance the change to our civil service system. Republicans have called for quadrupling the probation period for new hires and the elimination of merit-based test for applicants. Eliminating the objective civil service test will make it significantly easier to hire candidates with political connections over qualified applicants. 

This week at the Capitol

Scott Walker is wasting no time enacting bad legislation since his failed Presidential campaign. We wanted to provide a quick update on some of the corrupt bills making their way through the legislative process this week. 

Assembly Hearing on Civil Service Changes

Scott Walker’s plot to overhaul the civil service makes its way to the Assembly, with a public hearing by the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations on Thursday. Working people continue to sound a warning bell that this bill opens up the civil service to patronage and corruption. These fast-paced changes to the civil service were developed behind closed doors, in secret, without the input of workers, and will hurt all taxpayers by making it easier to hire applicants and promote individuals with political connections.

Make your voice heard by testifying at the Assembly Committee on State Affairs and Government Operations public hearing on AB 373, relating to the state civil service.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

9:31 AM

412 East

You can also send a message to legislators, asking them to keep politics out of the civil service, by clicking here.

Your messages and calls have already had an impact on this legislation. An amendment introduced this week would shortened the newly extended probationary period for new hires. The amendment calls for a 1 year probation period instead of the originally proposed 2 years (the current probationary period is 6 months).

Dismantling the Government Accountability Board AB 388/SB 294

Instead of working to create jobs and raise wages for working people, Republicans are turning their attention to dismantling the state’s nonpartisan, ethics board – the Government Accountability Board. The Senate and Assembly will have a joint hearing Tuesday on a bill that would split the watchdog agency into two, weakening its oversight ability. The GAB is charged with investigating campaign finance violations and overseeing state elections. It will also play a vital role in implementing new Voter ID requirements in a fair and consistent way.

Changes to the independent GAB are an attack on good government and would only expand corruption. The Republican bill comes in response to the John Doe criminal investigation into coordination between Gov. Scott Walker's 2012 recall campaign and outside advocacy groups.

Campaign Finance Bill (AB 387/SB 292)

Seeking to cash-in on special interest dark money and campaign contributions from wealthy individuals, Republicans have introduced a bill to eviscerate current campaign finance regulations. The bill would double the amount that individuals can donate to state and local candidates, and automatically adjust the limit for inflation (just think if they did that for workers’ wages!). For Governor, an individual under the new law can donate up to $20,000, previously it was capped at $10,000. The bill allows for political parties and legislative campaign committees to make unlimited donations to candidate committees as well as receive unlimited contributions, with the only exception a $12,000 per year limit cap on PAC contributions.

Enacting this legislation would make Wisconsin the Wild, Wild West of campaign finance. By putting ourdemocracy up for sale to the highest bidder, Republicans are hoping to buy power and control.

As Scott Walker’s poll numbers plummet, the legislature would be wise to focus on creating good, family-supporting jobs instead of pushing partisan politics. As we continue the fight for fair wages, worker rights and democracy, we will keep you informed of any and all legislation that impacts working people and good government. It is important that working people come together to have a strong and meaningful voice both at work and in our communities across Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin Labor Movement Mourns for Brother Marty Beil

Tributes are pouring in around the state and around the country to honor the legacy and tenacity of Wisconsin labor leader Marty Beil.  Beil passed away peacefully in his sleep in his home in Mazomanie on October 2, 2015.  

One of Wisconsin’s most influential and memorable labor leaders, Beil recently retired after more than 40 years as a prominent leader of AFSCME, the public service employee union that was founded in Wisconsin and has grown to 1.6 million members nationally.

Beil served as executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24, since 1985.  He was a member of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO Executive Board, working with labor leaders from all sectors of the economy to shape and guide statewide policy and initiatives to build worker power in Wisconsin.

Beil, who was 68, began his career in 1969 as a Wisconsin probation and parole officer. He quickly became active in the union. In 1973, he became president of his statewide Local and a member of its bargaining team. In 1978 he was elected Council 24 president, a position he held until being selected as the Council’s executive director.

“I was one of the fortunate, whose job was really my passion,” Beil wrote in an email to AFSCME members announcing his retirement in the June of 2015.

Seen as a forceful and dynamic leader, Beil wrote that he understood the union’s victories and accomplishments were never his alone.

“All of you and the thousands of workers who went before you were able to make life a little better for themselves and their families through the union, and I like to think that I played some role in that,” Beil wrote.

“Marty Beil was a giant in the labor movement,” said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO.  “He was a brother in the struggle for worker rights and a better Wisconsin.  He was a friend and he had one of the biggest hearts around.  His passion and his energy in helping people, helping people make ends meet, be safe on the job, have decent healthcare, and get a fair shot at a better life was undeniable.” 

“I’ll never forgot Marty. His larger than life presence will leave a deep and meaningful impact on each and every person that his life has touched," said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. "For me, I have so many memories both professional and personal.   My kids always loved hanging out with Marty weather it was during Act 10 in the Rotunda or on the streets at Walkerville.  His courageous and feisty leadership mixed with his deep dedication to worker rights fueled a career that will forever impact workers across our great state.”  

Tributes have poured in from local, state and federal representatives including U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Russ Feingold and AFSCME International President Lee Saunders.  Wisconsin Representative Mandela Barnes has introduced legislation in honor of Marty Beil.  Dubbed “The Marty Bill” the bill seeks to strengthen and preserve integrity in Wisconsin public service. 

Workers Voice Strong Opposition to SB285

Workers voiced strong opposition to SB285 at the Senate Labor Committee hearing on Tuesday. State workers, librarians, insulators, retirees, laborers and building trade members all attended the hearing to speak truth to power and sound the alarm on a Walker-backed bill that would insert politics into the hiring and firing of state workers.

 

Currently, our civil service system is shielded against political influence in the hiring process. But the Republican-backed bill being debated in Madison would pave the way for cronyism and corruption in hiring.

 

Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO testified against SB285 stating:

 

“Without a doubt, these changes will open the floodgates for political payback and favoritism to the detriment of current, future and potential state employees and the taxpayers and citizens of Wisconsin. If you want to earnestly and seriously address the problem of recruitment and retention in civil service, I urge you to restore collective bargaining rights for all public employees so that workers can have a strong and meaningful voice on the job.”

 

Rick Badger, AFSCME Council 32 Executive Director, noted the insular way this sweeping bill has been developed in secret by Republicans without input from state workers. Badger urged Republicans to join

unions in working together for bipartisan legislation:

 

“We should be working together to improve civil service. We could have a better bill if we took the time to talk together. Instead, public workers have been scapegoated, have had their pay and benefits slashed and have been completely left out of this process.”

 

Paul Spink, AFSCME Council 32 President, who is a 12-year veteran of the civil service, testified:

 

“The way workers are treated right now with low pay and benefits being slashed under this Administration, it is stopping the best from applying to the civil service. We are lowering the bar because we can’t find qualified candidates because the jobs aren’t family-supporting jobs.”

 

These sweeping changes will lead to an abuse of power by an administration and turn our civil service into an extension of the Governor’s office. Our government works best when the most qualified candidate, not the most well-connected candidate, gets the job.

 

Senate Bill 285 will be voted on next week in the Senate Labor Committee and then will head to the Assembly and full Senate floor for a vote. Be sure to call or click here to email your legislators and voice your opposition to this flawed legislation.

Phone Banks to Protect Our Civil Service

Working families are coming together to protect our civil service from politicians in Madison who want to rig the system in order to hire their friends and relatives. Join us as we make calls to help connect union members to their elected representative. You can also click here to send a message to legislators. 

Together we can voice opposition to a SB285 (State Civil Service Destruction Bill) which would pave the way for political cronyism and corruption in the hiring and firing of our state employees.

Phone banks will be in Milwaukee and Madison on Monday, October from 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Milwaukee

WI AFL-CIO

6333 W. Bluemound Road

Milwaukee, WI 53213

Contact: Emily Mueller - 414–745-8343 or ekitchin@wisaflcio.org

Madison

Madison Labor Temple

1602 S. Park Street #212

Madison, WI 53715

Contact: Wendy Strout - 262–385-8473 or wstrout@aflcio.org

Send an email to your legislators in Madison by clicking here. 

Don’t forgot that Tuesday, October 6 is the Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform hearing on the civil service bill. The hearing will start at8:30 a.m. in room 411S and continues to 6:00 p.m., with a break from 11:50 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please attend this hearing and testify in opposition to this attack on our long-standing and landmark civil service law.

TAKE ACTION: Keep Politics Out of Civil Service

Gov. Walker and Republicans in Madison are wasting no time in their plot todismantle Wisconsin’s landmark civil service law. Our current civil service system is designed to ensure fairness and integrity in the hiring and firing of all state employees. The proposals being debated in Madison would break our system,inserting politics and paving the way for political favoritism, givebacks and corruption.

Make your voice heard. Attend the Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform hearing on LRB-2783/1 (State Civil Service Reform Bill) this Tuesday, October 6, in the state Capitol in Madison.  You can also send a message to your legislators by clicking here.

Hearing Details:

Room 411 South, State Capitol 

8:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. 

BREAK (looks like they don’t want working people to testify on their lunch hour)

2:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Elected officials need to hear from you and be held accountable to their constituents.

Contact your legislators and tell them what you think of rigging our civil service system so that political friends and buddies get preferential treatment. Click here to send an email message to your state lawmakers today.

We cannot let these changes go unchecked. Together, we will let politicians in Madison know that the people are watching and will not sit back silently while our state’s long-standing and transparent civil service system is hijacked to benefit political cronyism.

Let’s keep the politics out of civil service.