Wisconsin: Rally to Stop Right to Work

[Scuba]

from my email ...

BREAKING: There will be a rally to protest the introduction of Right to Work legislation Tuesday, February 24 and Wednesday February 25 at 12:00 p.m. at the state Capitol. We must stand together for our rights as workers and raise our voices in our democracy to stop Right to Work legislation from moving forward in Wisconsin.

WHAT: Rally to Oppose Right to Work
WHEN: 12:00 p.m. Tuesday February 24 and 12:00 p.m. Wednesday February 25
WHERE: State Street Side of the Capitol

The Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform will be holding a hearing Tuesday, February 24. Please join us at 9:00 a.m. to testify in opposition of Right to Work.

You can also CONTACT your legislators in opposition of Right to Work. The legislative hotline is: 1-800-362-9472

Sign the petition to stop Right to Work in Wisconsin.

Republicans are planning to ram this legislation through in an extraordinary session at lightning pace. An extraordinary session changes the rules, limits debate and makes a mockery out of our democracy. A Right to Work bill could pass both houses and be signed into law by the Governor in days.

Making Wisconsin a Right to Work state will not create jobs. Claimed advantages of Right to Work are unproven. Nationally recognized economists agree Right to Work provides no discernible economic advantage. By lowering wages, Right to Work would weaken consumption and may undermine Wisconsin’s small businesses which depend on workers having wages to spend.

Stand up, fight back, participate in democracy. Join us at the Capitol.

In Solidarity,

Phil Neuenfeldt, President

Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer

P.S. Forward this email to a friend to let them know how they can get involved. Spread the word – let’s stand up for justice and workers.

[PeteSelman]

1. Wisconsin had two chances to stop it already.

They did not. It's not going to happen now.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. No,

but we can continue to be a thorn in their sides while they do it. Let the record show that we continue to raise our voices at the Capitol every day.

[PeteSelman]

3. Walker and the republican legislature do not care.

They didn't care when people railed against destroying the public unions. They won't care about the howling over this.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin is getting what they asked for three times.

[Ed Suspicious]

4. I don't get why people drop by the WI group in threads where people are trying to take on one of the

most dangerous and influential repukes in the nation, I don't get why they drop by to shit on us and our effort.

"Wisconsin is getting what they asked for three times." We did not, sir.

[PeteSelman]

5. I'm sorry for the wet mop.

But a majority of voters did indeed vote for this when they voted for that piece of shit. They had three chances to reject him.

And as a union man I hate what he's doing but I don't see how to stop this train. I hope you can.

[Scuba]

6. "But a majority of voters did indeed vote for this when they voted for that piece of shit."

Don't be so sure ...

[midnight]

11. Thank you for showing how clearly reworked those votes were.

[Lefta Dissenter]

8. OK, everyone, we should just stay home

and hide under our beds, just like we did when bush/Cheney were president.

Oh wait! no, I helped lead an impeachment effort against them in my own little town. It didn't get them impeached, but it sure triggered a lot of great discussion. What did YOU do during those years?

"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism," doesn't only apply to the times you're guaranteed a victory.

[Scuba]

7. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

[AllyCat]

9. So, as a union man, you feel that we should just shut up and take it?

Just stay home.

[PeteSelman]

15. I'm sad to say that you have no choice but to take it.

All the screaming and rallying in the world isn't going to do anything. It didn't help for the recall. Didn't help for the re-election.

How does this turd win three elections?

[AllyCat]

17. It is not about the outcome. It is about right action

Go peddle your defeat elsewhere

[PeteSelman]

20. I'm sorry.

Truly.

But Wisconsin brought this horror upon itself.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

22. OK, sure.... and now the beast has been set loose upon the world! You'll find out soon enough

smarty pants - unlike Palin, Bush he can speak a coherent sentence, unlike Romney can come across as just folks kind a guy... seems to appeal to a broad range of low information voters from moderates (even a certain # of union members) on up to religious far rightwingers (his refusing to answer the evolution question and equating protestors with terrorists was IMHO no accident - we may interpret those as gaffes but his fans eat it up.)

Let's hope and pray that the Dem Party will have a strong candidate (learn from us here in Wis - you cant just have a candidacy based on being Not-Walker.) And, it helps to have an effective noise machine to get the message out because without that - we're toast. Busted unions = significantly less political funds going to candidates for this purpose.

(If youre an atheist - pray to the Cosmic Void then!)

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

10. As with voting - you dont just do it and stop there! Doing one thing, taking one action does

not preclude doing other things. Indeed, its only the multi-pronged efforts ... by many different people from different walks of life..... that have succeeded (eg original labor movement, voting rights, etc.)

Re: this demo - its a lot about image wars these days. Some good shots in the media of trade union guys and gals filling the capitol square is a good thing IMHO. It can't hurt! Would provide relief from the endless shots of puffy faced white guys in blue suits and red ties.

But again - don't stop there. I don't think anyone's proposing a month long occupation again. That would be counterproductive.

BTW, the way to do a general strike (according to my source) is to start with a 1 minute work stoppage. That's doable for most people. Then if theres momentum - build from there - 1 hour, 1 day. Oh well - its just an interesting thought, Obviously cant happen if too many are carrying around defeatist mindset.

[dragonlady]

12. They say Walker really, really doesn't want another big protest

It would be detrimental to his presidential campaign. That's probably why they are trying to rush this through before the opposition can get organized enough to make a lot of noise.

[lutefisk]

13. Steve Nass playing up the violent protester theme

This is so disingenuous.

Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, expressed concern this week that the legislation could lead to unsafe conditions at the Capitol.

"The Democrats said months ago if we decide to take up right-to-work it will be another Act 10 or possibly even worse," Nass said to a WISC-TV reporter Friday. "So knowing that, I think I have an obligation, and Sen. Fitzgerald also, to make sure that people in this building are safe."

Nass' statement aligns with statements made by Gov. Scott Walker which paint labor activists as intimidating and potentially violent in their opposition to legislation like Act 10, which effectively eliminated most collective bargaining rights for public workers in 2011. Debate over that measure brought tens of thousands of public employees and their supporters from around the state and country to the Capitol, with many activists living in the building for several days.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, objected to those statements on Friday.

"I don't expect Act 10-level protests, but at the same time when you have Sen. Nass saying the timeline is to protect people's lives around the Capitol, that's a real eighth-grade way to look at something," Erpenbach said to WISC-TV.

Cap Times story

LINK to channel3000 video and story

[riversedge]

14. Sen. Steve *ss...

[CatholicEdHead]

18. Will they bring back the Palm Tree Footage

like last time?

[ladym55]

16. Best of luck to you all

I know how hard you all are fighting for Wisconsin. If I understand correctly, the campaigning Scotty did not support right to work, which is why they are ramming it through the legislature now on warp speed.

[AllyCat]

21. Exactly. He even said he was not in favor of it.

He lied. We knew he would lie, and worked against him. And yet, here he is. Do everything in your power to fight against him for POTUS.

[midnight]

19. kick