Labor & Employment Law

Wis. Workers Blast Gov. Walker?s Budget

By admin

Wisconsin State AFL-CIO field communications coordinator Karen Hickey sends us this report.

The extreme cuts to essential services proposed by Gov. Scott Walker will damage Wisconsin residents and communities for generations to come.

Not only are his massive cuts to education and vital services harmful to the state?s future, they place an unfair burden on Wisconsin?s nurses, teachers, first responders and other public service providers.

Sue Monthey of SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin said:

We understand that the state faces significant challenges. That is why we have agreed to accept all the financial concessions demanded by the governor in his budget repair bill. 

Alan Hefter, vice president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, said:

We are disappointed that the governor is continuing his assault on core Wisconsin values. In Wisconsin, we honor the rights of every worker. In Wisconsin, we believe in and investing in a brighter future for all. 

Said Joseph Gunter of Laborers (LIUNA) Local 464:

He demands sacrifice from low- and middle-income families, while continuing to hand out tax breaks to the wealthy and powerful. This is not the way we do things in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin has faced tough times before, but never before has our state given in to the idea that the next generation will be worse off than the present.

Karen Ingmundson of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 159 said:

It’s time for the governor and Republican senators to show leadership and work across party lines to find a compromise that gets Wisconsin moving forward again and creating jobs.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 03, 2011 (boomark / email).