Saint Paul, MN – Thirty people gathered outside O’Gara’s Bar to picket against Wisconsin governor and Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker. Walker was speaking at a fundraiser for the right-wing pro-corporate Minnesota Jobs Coalition.

The protesters only found out about the event a few hours beforehand and mobilized quickly to oppose Walker’s presence. The protesters picketed in front of O’Gara’s for an hour in the rain as people were going inside for the event. They chanted, “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” “Hey hey, ho ho, Scott Walker has got to go!” and other pro-union and anti-Walker slogans.

Walker has gained notoriety with harsh attacks on unions in Wisconsin and from his close relationship with the right-wing billionaires the Koch Brothers. His union busting provoked massive protests and a recall election in Wisconsin. He has also attacked immigrant rights, public education, women’s reproductive rights and more. Now Walker wants to bring those attacks to the national level by running for president.

Groups that were present protesting against Walker included the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, Iron Workers Local 512, Operating Engineers Local 49 and others.

#SaintPaulMN #Labor #GovernorScottWalker #Elections

Scott Walker is against immigrants, which will impact the number of votes he gets from Latinos.

Community members in Milwaukee have loaded three buses and are on their way to his campaign kickoff. The Wisconsin community is against Walker’s actions on immigration, unions and driver's licenses for undocumented people, and they are ready to stand up and fight back.

Protesters say the undocumented people of Wisconsin will not support Walker's campaign and will encourage their family members who can vote to vote against him. The amount of mixed-status families (that are both documented and undocumented) in Wisconsin is huge and can also have an impact on who the next presidency will go to.

When people chant, “When community rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Scott Walker will know Wisconsinites are not for his presidential run.

Updates on this story will follow.

#MilwaukeeWI #ImmigrantRights #Labor #GovernorScottWalker #Elections

Milwaukee, WI – On May 5, a flash protest of about 50 students occurred at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee campus to call on students to take action to resist the cuts that form part of the 2015-17 Wisconsin budget proposal, in which Governor Scott Walker insists on a $300 million cut to the UW system.

For UWM, it means about $40 million in cuts from overall state funding. Such a big loss would most likely translate in the shrinking on liberal arts departments, cultural resource centers, fewer staff, fewer faculty and larger class sizes, according to the Coalition to Save UW, made up of UW faculty, staff and students across the state.

The demonstration was organized by Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES) at UWM, in collaboration with the Save Our UWM Coalition. The student protesters passed out leaflets, chanted and performed mic-checks, in which they engaged the audience in their call to action. The mic-check ended with, “We can rise together, or we will all fall together.”

Chris Antimo, who led the march, said, “It takes a little reminder sometimes, by a group of individuals like the ones today to let students know that their efforts aren’t in vain.”

Amaerani Torres, also with YES, stated her concerns regarding the cuts, “Resources and programs will be cut, especially those offered to minority students and those in the art school. I believe this is all of our fight if we want to progress in further education, and one that we cannot stand to lose.”

The demonstration ended with a call to students to get involved in the organizing efforts by YES, Progressive Students of Milwaukee and the Save Our UWM Coalition.

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #GovernorScottWalker #education

Madison, WI – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed into law a ‘right to work’ measure, March 9, that impacts workers in the private sector. The law is expected to harm trade unions and depress wages.

Workers from across Wisconsin and nearby states participated in several large rallies in Madison opposing the law.

Teamster activist Daniel Ginsberg commented, “Scott Walker is signing away our rights in order to help businesses weaken contracts and lower wages. Thousands of protesters at the capitol disagreed and will continue fighting even after this becomes law.”

Republicans in other states, such as West Virginia, are also pushing right to work measures.

#MadisonWI #GovernorScottWalker #rightToWork

Madison, WI – Thousand rallied, Feb. 25, on the steps of the Wisconsin Capitol. Hours later, hundreds chanted “Kill the bill” in the capitol rotunda while hanging banners and homemade signs. Later, dozens were ejected from the senate hearing room for shouting down Republican politicians trying to fast track the anti-worker law.

Right to Work passed the senate later in the evening, 17-15, with one Republican turning back. The bill is now in the State Assembly, with a hearing to be scheduled early next week.

In a firey speech, Phil Gruber, Midwest territory general vice president for the Machinists Union, called for more action.

“It’s time we take action in this country,” he said. “The only way we’re going to stop the right-to-work laws is to stand still. I think it’s about time that we stop the production in this country.”

Will Guenthner, a UW-Milwaukee student who was ejected from the senate hearing room, said he felt like his fellow students were getting robbed by the recent cuts to the UW school system and saw the workers getting robbed by this bill. “Robbed. That's the word that keeps coming to mind. Walker's entire career as governor has felt like one huge heist. So today, as a student, I stood in support of working people , because we are no different and the robbery will only continue.”

The AFL-CIO has announced another large march this Saturday, Feb. 28, at the state capitol at noon.

A group of rank-and-file workers are calling themselves Defeat Right to Work in Wisconsin and have created a Facebook site. Check out @DefeatRTW to follow the protest movement.

#MadisonWI #GovernorScottWalker #rightToWork

Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 union members and their supporters took to the streets here, Feb. 23, to protest an attempt by Republicans to push through ‘right to work’ legislation in the Wisconsin legislature.

The protest was sponsored by Defeat RTW in WI, AFSCME District Council 48, Occupy Milwaukee, Voces de la Frontera, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, Progressive Students of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement, Greater Milwaukee Green Party, Bring Back the Fight, Fight Back! news, AFSCME 82 and Wisconsin Jobs Now.

#MilwaukeeWI #PeoplesStruggles #GovernorScottWalker #Wisconsin #rightToWork

Milwaukee, WI – For the second week in a row, students, faculty and staff rallied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in opposition to Governor Scott Walker's budget cuts. Walker is threatening to cut $300 million from Wisconsin’s universities.

The governor plans to restructure Wisconsin's public university system into a ‘Public Authority.’ As a Public Authority, the governor will hand pick the appointees who run the higher education system. With more power in his hands, Walker argues he will have the “flexibility” to make up for budget shortfalls by raising tuition and cutting the number of professors, graduate assistants and workers.

Over 100 people gathered in Spaights Plaza, Feb. 11, in front of a large banner reading, “They say cut back, we say fight back!” Progressive Students of Milwaukee, an affiliate of Students for a Democratic Society, organized the protest. Labor leaders from AFSCME, MTEA, and TAUWP spoke at the rally about the importance of uniting workers and students to fight the cuts.

After getting fired up, students marched through the Lubar School of Business and into the Student Union, where a student involvement fair was taking place. Several students joined the march as it circled the union concourse before returning to Spaights Plaza.

“I participated in the rally because as a student I feel it is necessary to stand up against Walker's war on education and I believe every student and staff member should have been out there with us,” said student organizer Sarah Shelleh. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, so I am eager to see everyone come together in this struggle to get our voices heard and put a stop to these outrageous budget cuts.”

“We vow to continue building the movement against the proposed budget cuts and Walker’s attempts to take over our public university system. Students need accessible and affordable education, not the ‘flexible’ higher costs and lower quality Walker is offering,” explained Daniel Williams with Progressive Students of Milwaukee.

#MilwaukeeWI #ProgressiveStudentsOfMilwaukee #UniversityOfWisconsinMilwaukee #GovernorScottWalker

Milwaukee, WI – Over 200 students, faculty, teaching assistants and workers rallied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Feb. 4, in opposition to Governor Scott Walker's proposed $300 million budget cut. Governor Walker's cuts to the statewide system will force layoffs, fewer courses, the closure of departments and possibly some campuses. The proposed budget will place the UW system under the control of the governor-appointed Board of Regents instead of the elected state legislature.

“No ifs, no buts, no education cuts!” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Scott Walker has got to go!” rang out as the crowd in Spaights Plaza on the Milwaukee campus grew larger and larger.

Protesters marched into the student union after listening to students and professors speak about the harm the proposed cuts would cause, particularly to working class and low-income students. Students formed a large picket line taking over the concourse, while a group dropped a banner from the third floor stairway reading “They say cut back. We say fight back! No cuts to UW.”

“The rally for me was a small but incredibly important starting point for what I hope is a long and successful struggle against those who support these cuts,” said student protester Will Guenthner.

He continued, “Education is something I find essential to our society and its prosperity. Also, solidarity is something that honestly gives me the chills. There's nothing more powerful than unifying with your peers, especially when the consequences are as drastic as the ones we face.”

Organized by Progressive Students of Milwaukee, an affiliate of Students for a Democratic Society, there are more plans are in the works to oppose Governor Walker's austerity plans. Student leaders say they do not want to sacrifice the quality, accessibility and affordability of higher education in Wisconsin just to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy.

#MilwaukeeWI #ProgressiveStudentsOfMilwaukee #GovernorScottWalker #educationCuts #UWM

The Lac Courte Oreilles, along with the other Ojibwe tribes in the area, environmentalists and farmers are strongly against the proposed mine that would destroy waterways with sulfuric acid and heavy metals.

Recently, pictures surfaced of men dressed in head-to-toe cammo, brandishing assault weapons, providing security for GTAC. The pictures exploded on the internet, making national news.

The GTAC guards worked for Arizona based Bullteproof Securities, a security company that specializes in border patrol and sends its employees to a sniper school. The company has the latest technology, including deep surveillance equipment, a license plate reader and drones. They were forced to leave the state when it was discovered they did not have the proper permits to operate in Wisconsin.

GTAC claims they need security because of an incident with protesters. The unidentified protesters went up to the mine site, yelled at employees about “ruining the fucking water” and an altercation occurred in which a mine employee’s cell phone was stolen.

Paul DeMain, of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band and executive producer of Indian Country TV, said he didn't know who the protesters were and it was really bizarre that these paramilitary guards were brought to protect GTAC because of a stolen cell phone, saying that we don't put armed guards in every area of Wisconsin where there is a cell phone stolen.

At the camp

The traditional harvest camp is held annually. This year it has extended to an indefinite camp and everyone is welcome to stay. Campers, some of who have been at the site since it began, are facing eviction, criminal charges and arrest. The camp is on allotment land, belonging to the Ojibwe based upon treaties that were signed over 150 years ago. The camp is run by members of different Ojibwe tribes including Bad River and Lac Courte Oreilles. It receives funding from the Lac Courte Oreilles and donations that have been flowing in from everywhere in Wisconsin.

A wide range of people visit or stay at the harvest camp. Tours are provided to the mine site so people can experience the beauty of the woods, learn the ecology of the area and see where GTAC has been test drilling since May. After walking nearly a mile through deep, wet mud ruts caused by mining equipment being driven through the forest on a gravel road, you can see a few mining employees doing test drilling.

Iron County and forestry department officials have now stepped in saying the camp is illegal because it is on county-managed land.

The threat of eviction and arrest is just the latest tactic the company and Iron County Officials have used against the campers. A man working for Iron County posted death threats and racist photos through his Facebook account that can be seen here http://wcmcoop.com/2013/07/10/iron-county-defends-employee-gary-gloneks-racist-rants-as-truth/.

In the short time GTAC has been operating in the north woods, they have made friends with county officials and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and enemies of other residents in the area. They are willing to use whatever resource is at their disposal to harass people who are fighting back.

There is a high level of coordination, discipline and organizing between different groups of people in the area who oppose the mine, ranging from participants in the harvest camp to farmers who are worried about what their livestock will drink when the waterways are not usable.

Activists are set for the long haul in the fight against GTAC, a company which has bought off Scott Walker, the DNR and Iron County officials. They will keep organizing resistance to the mine and do not plan on stopping, showing their strength through unity.

GTAC has no interest in the wellbeing of the land, the water or the people that will be negatively impacted by this mine. The company, which also does mountain top removal for coal mining, has shown what they are willing to do to protect their operation.

Activists will continue to fight against GTAC in a battle all too familiar, where a multi-billion dollar company thinks it has the right to pillage the environment, wanting to stay until the resources are gone and leaving economically and environmentally destroyed communities. The strength of community and power of organizing is going to stop this mine from destroying the Penokee hills.

#HaywardWI #IndigenousPeoples #GovernorScottWalker #Penokee #LacCourteOreilles #OjibweNation

Tallahassee, FL – On the morning of March 5, over 150 Black and brown Dream Defenders from across the state converged onto the state capitol here to deliver one important message to Florida Legislators and Governor Rick Scott on the first day of legislative session: the start of the “Dream Era.”

Dressed in black shirts with the phrase “Can we dream together” etched in white, the Dream Defenders gathered on the first floor of the Capitol building, starting off the day with a press conference to tell state legislators and national press about their Dream Agenda. Speakers from Dream Defender chapters all over Florida, including Miami, Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee, spoke on the issues of stopping Florida’s school to prison pipeline, immigration, and repealing Florida’s absurd Stand Your Ground Law, as well as stopping Republican efforts to suppress the votes of Black and brown people. There, Dream Defenders delivered their own State of the State address, hours before Governor Rick Scott was scheduled to give his later that day.

After the speeches, the 150-deep crowd chanted, “Whose state is this? The state is ours, the state is ours, the state is ours!” to the same rhythm as the famous old school rap single, “The World is Ours” by hip hop artist Nas. The large crowd of Black and brown youth then marched to the fourth floor of the Capitol rotunda to greet the legislators and Governor Scott.

The students lined up in two with signs that read, “Can we dream together?,” “I am human,” “Zero tolerance for zero tolerance,” and “Welcome to the Dream Era.” Chants then began, and the legislators and lobbyists immediately started to feel the effect of the Dream Defenders’ attendance. The singing chants of, “Mama, Mama can’t you see, what the system's done to me,” echoed throughout the whole building, even into the legislative chambers where legislators were taking in session.

Dream Defender and FAMU Chapter President Elijah Armstrong led chants and other activists chimed in with, “We are the dreamers, the mighty Dream Defenders,” all to the chagrin of capitol police and security who tried to stop the chants. However they were unsuccessful as the youth kept on, waiting to confront Governor Scott before he gave his State of the State address.

With Dream Defenders all over the fourth floor, Governor Scott and his security staff tried to enter the front of the House Chambers through a back hallway. Scott’s attempts to avoid the young activists were unsuccessful. He was confronted by loud chants of, “We who believe in freedom shall not rest until it’s won.” A visibly uncomfortable Scott quickly hurried into the House Chambers with his security personal to avoid the wrath of the protesters.

“We came here today to flex and let Governor Scott know that this is just the start”, said Dream Defenders at FSU Vice President Brian Marshall. “The Dream Era has just begun and Black and brown youth are rising to flourish in the state of Florida and fight for the issues that affect us the most.”

Dream Defenders are planning to keep the pressure on the Scott and the Republican-dominated legislature to make sure their Dream Agenda is heard.

For more information on Dream Defenders and the Dream Agenda, visit http://dreamdefenders.org/

#TallahasseeFL #GovernorScottWalker #DreamDefenders #immigrationRights #DreamEra

On June 5, voters from across the state of Wisconsin went to their polling places to determine the future of Scott Walker as the governor of the state. People in the state awoke the next morning to find that the movements of working class and oppressed nationality people had been dealt a blow by the billionaire backers of Walker's anti-union, anti-immigrant agenda. Although the recall push changed the composition of the state senate, corporate dollars overwhelmingly won the state for the Republicans, including Walker's victory over Democratic moderate Tom Barrett.

The next day, 150 people, undaunted by the defeat, prepared to march against “1% Walker” in downtown Milwaukee to signify the fight is not over. This march was called Keep it in the Streets and unified many of the fighters who had been on the front lines against Walker since the Madison uprising. These included unions representing bus drivers, public school teachers, and teaching assistants, as well as Occupy Milwaukee and anti-war, women’s and immigrant rights organizations. This was a march of the advanced fighters in the battle against Walker and they came, rightfully angry, from all over the state.

After a spirited rally in a downtown park, hearing from each sponsoring organization about their plans to continue forward and learn from the lessons of the recall, protesters took to the streets to march through the downtown banking district and the rest of downtown. Many in the march that came after the rally demonstrated their anger through nonviolent civil disobedience by marching into the streets. When met with violent police repression, they responded bravely and nonviolently, asserting their right to act out against injustice. Those who wished not to risk arrest marched in solidarity on the sidewalk, adding a critical element to the march.

The Milwaukee police responded in a way many of us have not seen in years. Despite the fact that many street demonstrations, even when unpermitted, have been accepted by the community for years, the police chose to crack down with clubs, horses and pepper spray. They brought violence where there was nonviolence. Those who were arrested and those injured by the police in their attack on the people should be wholeheartedly supported and the conclusion of the rally that day showed a great spirit of solidarity by raising hundreds of dollars for those arrested.

The march in the streets of downtown Milwaukee was in itself an important response to the Walker victory. It showed Walker and the billionaires behind him that many are prepared to continue the fight against his anti-worker, anti-woman and racist policies, regardless of the election, and to face police repression with bravery. It showed that many of the youth, concerned about their future as well as the future of others, were willing to put their bodies on the line to fight injustice. We believe those who practiced civil disobedience should be celebrated and supported. This march, and the courage shown by those who attended at every level, was significant and positive for the progressive movement throughout Wisconsin.

In this time, Walker and the right wing are looking to deal further blows to the progressive movement, in an attempt to weaken it for the coming November elections, which could very well result in Right to Work laws and further attacks on Badgercare, Seniorcare and other services important to working families in the state. It is critical that the broad progressive community stay united in public around the issues we care about.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization has taken the position that it will not publicly criticize or condemn others on the left for their actions and encourages others to do the same. Instead, we intend to hold disagreements for discussions internal to our movements, along the line of the Saint Paul Principles set out in the Republican National Convention protests in 2008 and the Chicago Principles in the recent protests against NATO.

The recall elections were by no means the end of the struggle. Working people continue to stand up across the state. In Milwaukee now, workers are on strike at Palermos pizza. These workers, largely Latino/Latina, are fighting for their basic union rights in spite of company repression and threats of ICE raids. A victory for these workers is a blow we can give to the corporate powers that bankroll Walker.

While recognizing our differences, we wish to continue to unite with leaders across the movements to win all that can be won under current conditions and build even better conditions for struggle. We have at hand thousands of new activists who have occupied the state capitol, protested Walker at fundraisers, attended organizing meetings and knocked on doors to fight for working and oppressed people. Many were already organizing against the U.S. wars and occupations, against cuts to tuition and for justice for immigrants. This generation is knowledgeable, experienced and ready to take movements for social and economic justice a step further. We want to continue to have discussions about strategy and tactics and about Walker and his attacks on working families. Further, we want to build relationships, based on mutual respect, for events in the future. Not one person or organization can beat back the attacks; it will take all of us working as a united movement to win.

#MilwaukeeWI #Labor #Editorials #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #GovernorScottWalker #recall

Milwaukee, WI – The day after Governor Walker survived his recall election, hundreds marched in the streets of Milwaukee in non-violent civil disobedience from Pere Marquette Park to City Hall and into the banking district. Occupy Milwaukee, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, AFSCME Local 82, Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, Voces de la Frontera, Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, Peace Action WI, Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, 9 to 5, Citizen Action, Welfare Warriors and dozens of other community organizations demanded: Repeal the union busting bill Act 10; reinstate the Equal Pay Act; and tax the 1%.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organizer Michael Raspanti said, “The battle to recall Scott Walker began with the occupation of the capitol last year, which created a people’s struggle that extends far beyond electoral politics. Despite the results of the recall election, we plan to keep it in the streets and to hold our elected officials accountable to the people, not to the corporations that pay for their campaigns.”

200 protesters refused to stop their peaceful march in the streets, even after being repeatedly beaten by police for 14 straight blocks. At least 12 protesters were injured and 4 were arrested. The police brutality by the Milwaukee Police Department riot and mounted police is part of the coordinated attacks by police nationwide against the Occupy movement.

Protester Natalie Gostynski, who is five months pregnant, stood defiantly in front of the police. “I’m here because Scott Walker created a poor future for my child. He has been stealing money that is supposed to be used for our schools and healthcare and is using it for his own personal political gain.”

Protesters were unfazed by the police brutality. They organized an impromptu dinner and raised funds for those arrested. After the event many marched immediately to Milwaukee County Jail where the protesters are being held, demanding their release.

The day’s action demonstrates that the Occupy Movement as a whole, as well as the people of Wisconsin, continue to stand strong against attacks on education, health care and workers rights.

#MilwaukeeWI #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #EducationRights #workersRights #GovernorScottWalker #OccupyMilwaukee

“We might be depressed or we might be celebrating June 5, but regardless, we're going out there June 6 to let everyone know this recall is one battle within a much larger conflict against the 1% and we're gonna keep on fighting,” stated Occupy Milwaukee activist Daniel Ginsberg.

Support for this idea is spreading widely in a state that has been engulfed in a battle to save unions and to fight off cuts to the poor since Republican Governor Scott Walker took office in 2011. Immediately after taking office, Walker attacked union rights to collectively bargain, rolled back laws on workplace discrimination, imposed over $1 billion in cuts to education and opened new fronts on the war against workers, the Black and Latino communities and women.

Endorsers of Keep it in the Streets include the Amalgamated Transit Union 998, AFSCME 82, the Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association, Welfare Warriors, Students for a Democratic Society and many more who have been on the front lines of the battle against Gov. Walker since the winter 2011 Madison uprising, when hundreds of thousands descended on the Wisconsin State Capitol.

Gov. Walker and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are virtually tied in the polls, even though Walker outspent the Democratic gubernatorial candidate by millions. Walker is backed by billionaires who want to turn Wisconsin into a ‘right to work’ state, as was seen on a conversation caught on video between Walker and billionaire Diane Hendricks. Tom Barrett, with his own big money backers, is primarily depending on working people from all over the state, who have already launched a mass successful mobilization to force the recall election.

Many will speak on June 6 before the protest heads downtown and into the banking district. The core unifying demands will be: Repeal Act 10 – hands off unions and collective bargaining; no cuts to education or Badger Care; restore the Equal Pay Act – we demand an end to workplace discrimination; tax the 1% – hold the banksters and the 1% accountable for their economic crisis; and stop the cuts