ViewFinder: Protesters Pack State Capitol on Weekend
Crowds rally against Walker's plan to end most collective bargaining rights for public employees.
Thousands of people continued to gather on Saturday in Madison to show their support to public workers and protest Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill that, if passed, would end most collective bargaining for public employees throughout the state.
barium
9:32 am on Monday, February 21, 2011
Did you know that the collective bargaining changes are needed in order to make and hold the proposed changes to the health benefits and retirement that the governor is calling for? http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=227506
Also, have you called your Assemblyman and Senator to encourage and let him/her know that for every protestor against the bill, there are thousands of us - the everyday worker who just can't leave the job - who stand with them and the governor?
Linda Binder
5:18 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Regarding ending collective bargaining- see this interview: "Wisconsin's local governments never asked to end collective bargaining, as Scott Walker contends" http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32392
Gov. Scott Walker has said he wants to eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public employees in part to give local governments and school boards the authority to make unilateral adjustments to pensions and other benefits.
As he said at his press conference last Friday, "To protect our schools, to protect our local governments, we need to give them the tools they've been asking for, not just for years but for decades."
But local governments and school officials have asked for no such thing.
"Our position is we've sought significant modifications in bargaining laws, but we've never sought to eliminate collective bargaining rights," says Miles Turner, executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.
In fact, the association, which represents almost all of the state's 424 school districts, doesn't want to do away with collective bargaining...."
Linda Binder
5:21 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Regarding your statement that "for every protestor against the bill, there are thousands of us - the everyday worker who just can't leave the job - who stand with them and the governor?"
See this JS online poll:
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/116492008.html
The headline is: Poll: Majority don't side with Walker
Lisa
12:27 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
I support the WI 14 and the protestors in WI. I am not a state employee nor a union employee. I work full time, own a home in Muskego and pay all my taxes. I did take off to support those in Madison - it's called personal time.
Margaret Coonan
12:54 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
GO SCOTT GO!!!
Craig Johnson
1:07 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Drastic changes like those proposed by the Governor are not needed in order to make and hold the proposed changes to health benefits and retirement, which the Unions have already agreed to. If they were, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards would not have sent the Governor a letter noting that they did not request such sweeping changes in collective barginaing rights of school employees. The executive director of the association noted that many of its members believe the proposals to change collective bargaining will "immeasuarably harm the collaborative relationships that exist between school boards and teachers."
Derek Federspiel
1:47 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Excellent shot!
Dan B
3:06 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Here is a link to a poll that shows where the general public stands on the issue
http://www.jsonline.com/polls/115922949.html?results=y&mr=1&oid=1&pid=115922949&cid=8500544
Dan B
3:10 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
For you that don't want to go to the JS online poll It's 77 % for Gov. Walker and 21 % against.
Linda Binder
4:49 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
I saw this JS online poll: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/116492008.html
The headline is: Poll: Majority don't side with Walker
Sweeney
1:15 am on Tuesday, February 22, 2011
No, you did not see the JS online poll. You are referring to a blog about a poll.
The JS online poll was hovering near 80% FOR Walker earlier today (Monday). Of course the poll was abruptly ended because the results weren't going in the direction the JS wanted.
Joe Peterlin
5:41 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
Union representation for public employees has always been an inherent conflict of interest.
Bob McBride
10:19 pm on Monday, February 21, 2011
The WI 14? Kind of harkens back to the days of the Chicago 7, doesn't it? Protests...civil disobedience...silly signs.... I guess the '60s will just never die and go away.
I certainly hope none of the "WI 14" attempt to expense the costs of their road trip to the flat lands. Although I'm almost certain one or more of them will give it a try.
Does anyone else see the irony in an effort to supposedly protect jobs that involves so many folks skipping out of work?
Jenny Heyden
7:25 am on Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Jon Stewart did a great job on Daily Show 2/21/2011. Leave it to comedy central to sum up the arguments for both sides succinctly. US workers will never be attractive to big biz until they work 24/7 in terrible conditions for a pittance. There is no end of the spectrum when "being attractive to corporations" becomes the goal for a state, instead of caring for its people.
Andy
11:12 am on Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Maybe Walker does care for the people of this state making sure we have a good economy and jobs for our kids in the future. If that means taking a little "luxurys" away that most hard working people never have, away from a few then so be it. No problem with Walker's plan. Balance the budget, create jobs. I dont wan't to live in a bankrupt state that just raises taxes every year because they have no idea how to balance a budget.. NOTE DOYLE.
Joe Peterlin
11:12 am on Tuesday, February 22, 2011
We support Governor Walker, State Senator Darling and the Budget Repair Bill. Democrats need to get back home to work, debate the bill and vote.