Tens of thousands of students, parents, teachers, nurses and other community members continue to take a stand for the fundamental collective bargaining rights of workers. That right is currently under attack by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker who is pushing legislation that would strip public employees of the right to bargain for anything other than wages.
Walker’s phony budget crisis
The assault of worker’s rights is being framed by Walker as necessary austerity measures to deal with a budget crisis. The facts are quite different. According to the website, Talking Point’s Memo, the “state’s fiscal bureau — the Wisconsin equivalent of the Congressional Budget Office — concluded that Wisconsin isn’t even in need of austerity measures, and could conclude the fiscal year with a surplus. In fact, they say that the current budget shortfall is a direct result of tax cut policies Walker enacted in his first days in office.” The Madison Capitol Times in a recent editorial criticized the governor of undermining long-established collective bargaining rights for public servants in order to “Pay for schemes that redirect state tax dollars to wealthy individuals and corporate interests that have been sources of campaign funding for Walker’s fellow Republicans and special-interest campaigns on their behalf.”
Attacks on worker rights
This is more than a scheme to fund tax breaks for Walker’s campaign contributors. This is the first battle of an organized effort to destroy public sector unions. Similar bills are being planned in Tennessee and Ohio where anti-worker politicians are plotting ways to take away workers’ collective bargaining rights. Other states will be watching the outcome of this struggle carefully. If this succeeds there, the rights of public workers will be at risk throughout the country.
Koch brothers at it again
Walker’s gubernatorial campaign received the maximum $15,000 contribution from Koch Industries. The company is owned by the billionaire Koch brothers, Charles and David, who have been bankrolled the Tea Party “movement” from its inception. They are also funding the politicians who are leading the charge to scapegoat workers for the economic crisis created by the banks, financiers, and speculators who are trying to avoid accountability for their irresponsible actions.
Below are some videos of the demonstrations in Madison, WI.