More than 1 million signatures to recall WI Governor Walker
Milwaukee, WI – More than one million signatures were filed for the recall of Wisconsin’s Republican Governor, Scott Walker, Jan. 17. The amount of signatures collected is a major victory for the unions and their allies, who conducted a mass mobilization to collect the signatures to fight back against the Republican-led war on the poor and working class.
‘Recall workers’ were seen everywhere, from churches to schools to protests at events with Governor Walker. Republicans were hoping the signature total to be closer to 750,000 – so that they could challenge enough of the signatures to block the recall. Given the one million-plus signers, that possibility is remote.
“Scott Walker represents the interests of the 1%,” commented Milwaukee Occupy leader Danielle Meyer. “The Wisconsin uprising and now the Occupy movement is about ending this rule so we're very satisfied with the results of the recall.”
In early 2011, immediately after taking office, Governor Scott Walker went to war on the working class by introducing legislation to eliminate the collective bargaining of public sector unions.
The people of Wisconsin fought back, capturing worldwide attention as hundreds of thousands rallied to the state capitol, occupying the capitol building for weeks, conducting some of the state’s largest protests in history.
Union members and their allies have since organized protests throughout the state, especially at Walker's appearances. They launched a mass mobilization to collect signatures to recall Governor Walker.
Four other Republican State Senators will also be up for recall. These Republicans, Senators Fitzgerald, Galloway, Moulton and Wanggaard, supported the union-busting legislation and currently support other attacks on the people including racist anti-immigration, anti-felon and voter disenfranchisement legislation.
The recall election will likely take place in May or June.