Wisconsin Takes Center Stage

[PEMO3 523]

With rallies taking center stage I am surprised the protests in Wisconsin have not been post here yet. Public Employee Unions and collective bargaining have been villafied by the Tea Party and their likes to put more blame on the backs of the public servants for the fiscal mismanagement of the legislatures. Around the country they are pointing the fingers are public servant, who have sacrificed for countless years, as the reason budgets are breaking and looking to union bust and create take backs and limit collective bargaining or do away with it all together. No where has any one suggest doing away with food stamps, social services or the other sit on your butt and collect services.

See some news coverage at: ABC NEWS

Edited February 20, 2011 by PEMO3

[efdcapt115 1,511]

While I agree with Joe's post, I must remind all members; this could be a very volatile topic and everybody has to remember to remain civil in their discourse if they are considering posting an opinion on this topic.

Please Brothers and Sisters, let's keep it all good.

[helicopper 1,050]

http://www.foxnews.c...governor-warns/#

If changes aren't made to the benefit contributions paid by Wisconsin's nearly 300,000 public sector employees, about 10,000-12,000 workers will lose their jobs, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker warned Sunday. The Republican governor has been targeted by protesters for nearly a week for negotiating a bill now in the state Senate that would require workers to increase their contributions to pensions and health care coverage, would limit collective bargaining rules and tie raises to inflation.

But Walker said while the state enjoys a lower-than-average unemployment rate -- about 7.5 percent compared to 9 percent nationally -- about 5,000-6,000 state workers and 5,000-6,000 local government workers could lose their jobs if they don't accept changes to their benefits plan.

The part of this that disturbs me is that they're calling this negotiating. How is this not threatening the workers and their unions?

[Guest JR Fireman]

How can they talk about take away a union members right to negiotiate their salary because it is a threat but at the same time hand millions of free tax payer dollars to illegals and crack heads who drain our society. We need to change our priorities in this country and realize we need to put the money where it does the most good not down the drain. Good money after bad money is poor thinking, period!!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

http://www.foxnews.c...governor-warns/#

The part of this that disturbs me is that they're calling this negotiating. How is this not threatening the workers and their unions?

It is not negotiating, and the attempt by the governor and the senate to ram this legislation through is for all intents and purposes, "union busting." The officials representing the teachers have already publicly stated that they are willing to accept the changes in pension contributions and health care increases. The one thing they are not willing to accept is the elimination of collective bargaining rights for all public employees except police, fire and state patrol. Prison guard unions would be affected, as would obviously teachers and all other public employees.

They are not living in a bubble. The public employees realize they need to make concessions due to the dire situation the state budget is in. However at the same time it has been reported that corporations in Wisconsin have been granted tax breaks equivalent to the amount of money they are trying to extract from public employees.

It is ironic that this is occurring in Madison, WI; the birthplace of AFSCME. And this is only the beginning. Other states and governors are watching very closely to see the outcome in Wisconsin; and are planning their own attacks on public employees. Chris Cristie in New Jersey has reneged on his promise to not go after public employee unions, and has illegally withheld the states obligation of payment to the state retirement system to the tune of three billion dollars.

As courageous a stand as they are taking in Wisconsin, I fear that public employees are fighting a losing battle; and governors and legislators newly elected believe their mandate is to "reign in" public employees benefits and rights that have been hard fought for and won over decades of the labor movement.

This fits nicely with the vilification of cops and firefighters that has been occurring in the media from people like Rupert Murdoch and Andrew Brietbart; with the main cheerleaders being Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

[firecapt32 282]

Just remember in November that it was these Republicans also wanted not to help our firefighters and police and other workers with the 911 bill. We arwe not the bad guys here, Workers have rights. You can be a democrate or be a rebublican or even a tea party just remember your Americians first and its not the American workers fault that the economey is in the shape its in.

[gamewell45 258]

http://www.foxnews.c...governor-warns/#

The part of this that disturbs me is that they're calling this negotiating. How is this not threatening the workers and their unions?

Negotiations are supposed to be "give and take"; it appears that all the governor of Wisconsin is interested in is "taking".

[RITRobotoX 29]

Here's video of uniformed members of IAFF Local 311 (Dane County, WI, aka Madison), marching into the rotunda of the State Capitol, with bagpipes and drums, to thunderous applause from the protesting union workers.

Public Safety employee unions are currently exempted from the revocation of collective bargaining rights, under the proposed bill. Even so, Madison firefighters have had a sustained presence at the demonstrations all week, standing in solidarity with their union brothers and sisters. As Local 311's president said, "If this passes, its only a matter of time before they come back looking for the same from us."