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.
Madison, WI – After weeks of intense struggle across Wisconsin, on March 10 the state assembly has passed the union-busting bill pushed by Governor Scott Walker and the Republican Party. The assembly voted 53-42 in favor of the bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Governor Walker shortly.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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!”
Trenton, NJ – About 6000 public workers turned up in a pouring rain here, Feb. 25 to stop New Jersey Governor Christopher Christie's campaign to strip their unions of collective bargaining rights. The main sponsors were the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and Communications Workers of America (CWA). The rally strongly supported the heroic struggle of Wisconsin public workers to keep their collective bargaining rights. Unions contributed checks in support of the Wisconsin workers. Several ralliers wore cheesehead hats and many carried signs in support of the Wisconsin workers. Christie claims that since the state's finances are wreck, workers have to give up bargaining rights. He is particularly intent on destruction of the 208,000-member NJEA, one of the most influential teachers' unions in the country. This is the same guy who, immediately upon taking office, allowed an upper-bracket income tax to expire, costing the state $1 billion a year in lost revenue. Then he inflicted brutal cuts in state aid to schools and municipalities. The workers know where the blame lies and they aren't having any of it. The state's pension fund is over $100 billion in deficit in its obligations to employees. For 17 years the state has paid only a pittance, if anything, to the fund while workers paid full up per contract. Even more, the fiscal crisis is due to the Wall Street collapse of 2008. The masses know it, for the entire governor's plan is nonsense. The militancy is flowing upward to the union leadership. NJEA President Barbara Keshishian denounced the governor's “well organized and well funded war to destroy labor unions and public education.”
_Fighting back against Gov. Walker’s attempts to destroy public sector unions and slash funding for education _
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.
Columbus, OH – Beginning at 10:00 a.m. March 2, over 25,000 laborers, firefighters, police, students, and community activists gathered around the State Capitol here to protest against Senate Bill 5, which eliminates collective bargaining rights for over 300,000 public sector workers. The “Rally to Save the Middle Class” had workers expressing their anger at Governor John Kasich's blatant attempt to bust unions.
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.
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.
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!”
_150,000 workers and students say no to union busting _
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.
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.
Madison, WI – “Shame!” roared the audience as the Wisconsin State Assembly voted to pass the union-busting Budget Repair Bill, Feb. 25. Yet spirits remain high amongst the thousands of protesters still gathered at the State Capitol, with mass marches and the capitol building occupation still going strong. The Wisconsin State Senate has yet to be able to pass the bill, with thousands in the streets, the 14 State Senate Democrats still in hiding and many unions preparing the beginning stages of a general strike.
Madison, WI – The struggle at the Wisconsin State Capitol to defeat the union-busting Budget Repair Bill held strong through its 9th day, Feb. 23. The state Capitol remained occupied and as early as 7:30 a.m. the chants of “Kill the bill” could be heard from all over. Over 50 Sheet Metal workers, many laid off, came marching up to the capitol at 8:00 a.m., chanting “Union Power!”
Madison, WI – Inside and out, the Capitol Building is loud and crowded. It's the eighth day of protests against Governor Scott Walker's ‘budget repair bill’ and every night, thousands of students and workers occupy the Capitol Building. The people of Wisconsin are showing determination to kill the bill.