Labor & Employment Law

Actions Nationwide Back America?s Workers and the American Dream

By James Parks

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler joins Peter Rickman, a member of the Teacher Assistant Association, an affiliate of AFT Wisconsin, at last weekend?s rally in the Badger State.

Over the weekend, more than 100,000 people jammed into the square surrounding the Wisconsin state Capitol Saturday for an all-day series of rallies that sent a message to Republican legislators and Gov. Scott Walker that the assault on working people will not stand and their struggle is far from over. Meanwhile, several organizations are joining together to hold rallies nationwide tomorrow as part of the Defend the American Dream event to defend public services and the workers that deliver them. Find out about an action near you here.  

In Madison, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler joined the crowd, which gave a heroes? welcome to the 14 Democratic state Senate members who left the state to prevent the body from considering Walker?s proposal to cut off public employees? bargaining rights. The legislators then rigged a vote to pass the bill.

More than 100,000 people rallied Saturday in Madison.

Saturday was the 27th straight day of protests in Madison. Another highlight of the rally was a tractorcade by Wisconsin farmers to support state workers and protest Walker?s budget, which will hurt rural communities. During that rally, farmer Tony Schultz made a passionate statement of support for public employees (see video).

Public workers are our friends, neighbors and family members and we stand in solidarity with them. We?re all in this together. We all go up together or we all go down together.

Check out photos of the Wisconsin rally here.

In other actions:

• Actors Lucas Neff and Tony Shalhoub attended the rally. Shaloub represented the Screen Actors (SAG). Neff, a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), said: “This is not the government of Scott Walker, this is not the government of the Koch brothers, this is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. And we the people will not be defeated.” 
• While workers were marching in Madison, Walker left town for a fundraiser in Washburn, Wis., but he couldn?t escape the hundreds of protesters, who gathered outside the event (see video).  
• Last Friday, some 5,000 Missouri workers marched and rallied against Republican proposals for a misnamed “right to work” law. See photos from the rally here.   
• Indiana working people will gather today for ?Stand Up for Hoosiers” rally at the Statehouse. Last week, thousands of Hoosiers protested Gov. Mitch Daniels’ assault on workers. Check out a slideshow of last week?s rally here.
• In an editorial today, the Chicago Sun-Times says it?s time for governors to stop demonizing public employee unions and playing  ?the cheap blame game.? It goes on to say: ?When the dust settles, America will find it is no better off. In fact, America will find it is worse off. Significantly so….labor unions?and public employee unions in particular?have done tremendous good and still have a vital role to play in preserving the middle class, advocating for improved workplace conditions and standing up for the little guy….? Read the entire editorial here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 14, 2011 (boomark / email).