Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

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By staff

Crowd of 150,000 people in Madison March 12.

Madison, WI – As of 3:00 p.m. today, March 12, the number of protesters at the state capitol here has swelled to more than 150,000. Senators who had left Wisconsin in an attempt to block Governor Walker’s union-busting legislations returned to an enthusiastic welcome.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Freedom Road Socialist Organization salutes the workers, students and community participants in the March 12 protest in Madison, Wisconsin. Everyone filling the streets around the state capitol is sending a clear message to the rich and powerful – we will not sit back in silence while our right to collectively bargain is taken away. The moment has arrived to stand up and do whatever it takes to defend our unions, our standard of living, and our future.

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By staff

Protest in Madison

Madison, WI – Massive protests are expected here, March 12. Tens of thousands of workers, students and community members are expected to converge on the state capitol Saturday afternoon. Buses have been chartered from across the state.

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By staff

Hallway outside Assembly where protesters were dragged out

Madison, WI – As Republicans made use of a parliamentary maneuver to ram through major sections of their anti-union legislation, thousands stormed the Capitol last night, March 9, and hundreds remained overnight.

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By staff

Protesters inside Wisconsin state Capitol, March 9

Madison, WI – As of 10:30 p.m., thousands of workers, students and community members have reoccupied the Wisconsin state capitol here, March 9. Chants to “Kill the bill” and urging a general strike echo throughout the building. Hundreds of people are engaging in a sit-in outside the doors of the chamber where the Assembly meets. Many are prepared for arrests.

Sit in at Assembly chambers , March 9

#MadisonWI #CollectiveBargaining #GovernorScottWalker #Wisconsin #publicSectorUnions

By staff

Madison, WI – As of 9:00 p.m. this evening, March 9, the Wisconsin state capitol building is packed with protesters who are outraged by Republican moves to strip state workers of their collective bargaining rights.

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By staff

Madison, WI – This evening, March 9, Republican senators here pressed forward with legislation that strips public employees of their collective bargaining rights. Protestors are converging on state capitol building, where there is a heavy police presence.

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By staff

Madison, WI – Seeing their governor friend in office plummet in the polls, the Koch front group, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) organized a bus tour that traversed the state of Wisconsin last week. The bus tour ended in Madison yesterday, March 6. In one city and town after another, protesters met the bus with a firm message: “Kill the bill,” “Recall the Republican 8,” and “Stop the attacks on public workers.”

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By staff

Protester speaking into a megaphone.

Madison, WI – The people of Wisconsin will not give up. The fight against Governor Scott Walker's plan to destroy public sector unions, public schools and social services is a daily theme in all parts of this state. Protests are ongoing, some numbering in the thousands. Last Saturday, March 5, tens of thousands march here.

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By Chance Zombor

Pewaukee, WI – 1500 demonstrators lined the street outside of Country Springs Hotel, March 7 to protest against Governor Scott Walker’s appearance with right-wing radio talk show host Charlie Sykes. Firefighters, teachers, healthcare workers, sheet metal workers and students chanted “Recall Walker!” and “Union rights are under attack! What do we do? Stand up, fight back!” as passing cars honked to the rhythm of “Kill-the-bill! Kill the bill!”

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By Fight Back! Editors

_Strange and desperate attempt to divide growing union movement _

Wisconsin union protesters express their opinion about Fox News

On March 3, notorious right-wing FOX TV personality Glenn Beck launched a 12-minute attack against Fight Back! News, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression and many individual labor and anti-war activists associated with these projects. The purpose of his attack was to try to sow division among the many forces that have united in Wisconsin to boldly fight back against the anti-union agenda of Governor Scott Walker.

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By staff

_Fighting back against Gov. Walker’s attempts to destroy public sector unions and slash funding for education _

March 2 UW-Milwaukee student walk out and march

Milwaukee, WI – Over 1500 students and workers walked out Mar. 2 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in protest of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's plan to destroy public sector unions and slash funding for public education. Initiated by Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society, the protest included a worker contingent of AFSCME, TAUWP and AFT union members. The protest took place on the National Day of Action to Defend Education.

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By staff

Madison, WI – Sixty protesters remain inside the state capitol building on the evening of March 2.

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By staff

_UW-Milwaukee SDS plans walkout _

Protesters continue to occupy Wisconsin Capitol

Madison, WI – Thousands are still protesting at the Capitol here, March 1. Amidst tight security, including erecting concrete barriers outside the Capitol and denying the public entry into the building, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker delivered his budget address this afternoon.

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By staff

Madison, WI – At 7:40 p.m. this evening, Feb. 27, a spokesperson for the Teaching Assistants’ Association told assembled protesters occupying the Wisconsin state capitol building that police will not make arrests tonight. A 4:00 p.m. deadline had been set by police for demonstrators to leave and the building was closed off.

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By Students for a Democratic Society

SDS in massive Madison march, February 26.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

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By staff

Madison, WI – Despite a 4:00 p.m. police deadline to leave the Wisconsin state capitol , more than 600 protesters, including trade unions, community supporters and students remain on the upper floors of the building , as of 6:00 pm, Feb. 27. Chants against Governor Walker and his union busting plans are echoing throughout the halls. As of this writing, no arrests have taken place. Police have closed the entrances to prevent more people from joining the protest inside.

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By Kim DeFranco

Massive protest at WI State Capitol, 2/26/2011

Madison, WI – 150,000 union workers and supporters packed the Madison Capitol complex inside and outside on Feb. 26 to express their outrage over the anti-union bill being rammed through the assembly. Throughout the day, a continuous flow of people entered into the capitol filling all three floors. Peoples' spirits were high and their anger showed through their loud chanting which rang through the capitol: “Kill the bill!” “What's disgusting? Union busting!” and “Union power!”

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By staff

_150,000 workers and students say no to union busting _

SDS in massive Madison march, February 26

Madison, WI – 150,000 strong, union members and students flooded the state capitol on Feb. 26, the strongest showing yet to oppose Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's all out assault on public sector unions.

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By Carlos Montes

Los Angeles protest in solidarity with Wisconsin workers, 2/26/2011

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of workers rallied at Los Angeles City Hall, Feb. 26, to show solidarity with the struggle of workers in Wisconsin, who are fighting to keep their right to collective bargaining. The union members proudly wore their union shirts and carried signs reading “This is about freedom.” From AFSCME, SEIU, Teamsters, CWA, IBEW and ILWU, to name a few of the participating unions, workers expressed their anger at Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Walker’s attack on public workers.

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