A Message from AFSCME Wisconsin Leaders
March 11, 2011
Moments ago, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed the bill into law, officially taking away nearly all collective bargaining rights from the vast majority of the state's public employees. The following message comes from AFSCME leaders in Wisconsin: Jim Garity, President, and Rick Badger, Executive Director of Council 40; Bob McLinn, President, and Marty Beil, Executive Director of Council 24; and Brian Stafford, President and Rich Abelson, Executive Director of Council 48.
Oblivious to hundreds of thousands of protesters across the state — and poll after poll showing Wisconsin voters oppose denying worker rights — thuggish politicians have taken a baseball bat to Wisconsin values.
Their radical demolition of 50 years of Wisconsin law means we now are living and working in a different world.
They may have — for the moment — taken away our bargaining rights. But they can never take away our resolve to continue fighting for front-line workers with everything we've got.
Adding insult to injury, as of Sunday, state employee contracts will expire because the governor has canceled the mutual agreement that guaranteed smooth operations under the previous contract.
When the government takes away the bargaining table, we must move to a different kind of advocacy for working families.
We will always be the voice for people at work, and we don't need the government's permission to advocate for our members.
Our union will continue organizing members and bringing together supporters committed to restoring worker rights and fighting for justice.
This attack on us has made clear we are up against a lavishly funded opposition dedicated to the demolition of our rights, our economic security and our voice in the democratic process.
But it has also made clear that we have far more power than our opponents ever imagined.
This power will be on display this Saturday for a day of action and massive rally in Madison. Other events are popping up all around the state for supporters who can't travel to the Capitol.
At the Capitol on Saturday, we'll be joined by many new friends for the coming out party of We Are Wisconsin. This new coalition brings together our friends who are outraged not only by the governor's attack on worker rights, but his budget proposal that takes a meat axe to schools, health care and vital services across the board.
Click here to find out more about We Are Wisconsin.
At the rally, and across the Wisconsin, we strongly encourage members and supporters to join the recall movement against Republican senators who voted to take away our rights. Click here to find out more about recall efforts.
This may be a dark time for Wisconsin. But we all know these attacks do not reflect Wisconsin values. We know that we do not have to take these attacks sitting down.
After each dark night, there comes a new day. And this new day starts today, as Wisconsin citizens across the state stand together and pour their energy into recalling Wisconsin senators who have sold their souls to the highest bidder.
They think we will forget and quietly fade away.Now is the time to show them just how wrong they are. We will not be quiet, and we must not fade away.
Thank you for all you have done and continue to do. We've only just begun to fight!
Find out about buses to Madison here. And check the list of Saturday and Sunday statewide events here.
