Supporters of legislation to reduce public employee union bargaining power and benefits in Wisconsin were far outnumbered by opponents on Saturday, as the two sides shouted competing slogans under clear skies.
Tens of thousands have demonstrated throughout the week against Republican Governor Scott Walker’s proposals, which supporters say are necessary to bring state spending under control and opponents contend are aimed at breaking the back of state worker unions.
Both sides drew thousands on Saturday, but opponents appeared to have several times as many on hand as those attending a rally backed by Tea Party groups, the first such demonstration this week.
The bill’s opponents marched counter-clockwise around the State Capitol, encircling its supporters, and chanted “kill the bill” among other slogans.
The supporters countered with “Recall them all,” referring to Democratic state senators who fled to Illinois last week to avoid giving Republicans the quorum needed to consider the proposal.
“I’ve been working in a factory for 26 years. We pay 15 percent for the cost of our health care. The state workers get Cadillac insurance and pensions. They have no god-given right to collective bargaining,” said bill supporter Anthony Thelen, 46, who works in a non-union factory outside of Milwaukee.
In addition to sharply curtailing union bargaining power, the Republican legislation would make state workers contribute more to health insurance and pensions.
Read More at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/19/us-wisconsin-protests-teaparty-idUSTRE71I3J820110219
Excerpt from Article: “I’ve been working in a factory for 26 years. We pay 15 percent for the cost of our health care. The state workers get Cadillac insurance and pensions. They have no god-given right to collective bargaining,” said bill supporter Anthony Thelen, 46, who works in a non-union factory outside of Milwaukee.
Well!!…join a union factory!! and get better benefits. Those people have the same God Given right to collective bargaining, as your God Given right, to reject collective bargaining.
http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=2401
This video says it all.
I stand shoulder to shoulder with my sisters and brothers in Wisconsin! I fail to see the logic in this bill at all! Unions have served the backbone of America for many years, without union, we would still be indebted to company stores, working 15 hours a day for 7 days a week, conditions on the job would be deplorable.
I find it humorous that the state of Wisconsin is being held “hostage” by the Democratic leaders, isn’t this the same thing that the GOP does, but refuses to call it by the true name?
Florida, where I live, might be a “right to work” state, and in many positions the pay and conditions are beyond belief! I was an educator, teaching English and History, but if I lived in Wisconsin my job would be less than stellar! Of course, in Florida it is that, our pay as educators is 47th out of 50 states, a teacher does not go into teaching to get rich, a teacher goes into teaching for the inner rewards!
When I read the plethora of articles about Wisconsin and Collective Bargaining, I fail to see anything about the GOP leaders, are they also under this bill?
The tea party protesters demonstrate a lack of knowledge of history. Unions may represent specific groups, but the benefits and living wages they help maintain spill over to non-union businesses by helping set standards for salaries within industries. Without them factories could quickly devolve into sweatshops. Anyone who believes it could never happen here isn’t paying attention. Illegal sweatshops are still found within the US, and companies send manufacturing jobs to places where workers have no protections regularly…. so the notion that those same managers wouldn’t equally abuse workers in this country is ludicrous. Instead of killing the unions, take away all tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. Why should US workers have to subsidize the loss of their own jobs via their tax dollars? Those tea party members should all travel to some country with no unions and without the OSHA protections they’re accustomed to and take a look at the conditions in those factories — then we’ll see where they stand when they come back.