This year’s day of action organized by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) comes barely 24 hours before the day of reckoning for thousands of teachers.
On Monday, superintendents and principals from across the state will meet with legislators to urge them to set aside political infighting and do what’s right for the state’s children. The next day, March 15, upwards of 17,000 teachers will receive pink slips informing them that they may lose their jobs.
The big push, of course, will be persuading two Republicans in the state Senate and two in the Assembly to break with their party and support Gov. Brown’s plan to place the tax
emilyslist on Mar 11, 2011
This inspirational video shows how EMILY's List women like state Senators Julie Lassa, Lena Taylor, and state Rep. Tamara Grigsby are fighting for our progressive values - like choice, education, and health care for kids - thanks to the support of EMILY's List. We're standing with them -- and we couldn't be prouder.
As the old phrase states: Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. These are indeed extraordinary times in Wisconsin. The Budget Repair Bill that was passed by Governor Scott Walker and State Republicans will strip public employees of the right to collectively bargain and threaten the very existence of unions in the state.
Despite the severity of these measures, Democrats and sections of the Trade Union leadership have chosen to pour resources and direct energy into a campaign to recall Walker and other Republicans. Easy call, since the Democrats seem sure to cash-in on Republican overreach and win any recall election. Yet, a recall falls short of the extraordinary measure quotient – workers are ready to move now in Wisconsin and a general strike is the best tactic to respond to Walker’s assault on democratic rights.
Stripping workers of collective bargaining rights rolls back the historical clock to a time when there was no legal guarantee of getting a union contract. At the turn of the 20th century, American Employers denied, repressed and ignored claims pressed forward by workers. The question was one of force – could working people force
As Wisconsin public employees reorganize for a long fight in the wake of the state GOP’s “midnight strike” at collective bargaining rights, it brought to my mind one of guest blogger Heba El-Shazli’s posts on Egypt. In it, she notes that Egypt’s new, independent unions are demanding reformed labor laws that incorporate the International Labor Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
For many people, this reference probably begs the question: What the heck is actually in the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work? The startlingly intense loathing of collective bargaining rights by Gov. Scott Walker, the Wisconsin GOP, and their supporters, is incentive enough to elaborate on this document.
Adopted in 1998, the Declaration commits ILO members “ to respect and promote workers’ rights and principles” in four categories: freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labor; the abolition of child labor; and the elimination of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation. These are the “core” principles of the ILO, and are incorporated into its “conventions” – an expression of the ILO labor standards. This is the heart of this venerable, tripartite organization, in which
High school and college students in Madison, Wisconsin are planning a two o’clock walkout this afternoon, and they’re picking up support and planned solidarity demonstrations all over the country.
Students will be converging on the Library Mall on the University of Wisconsin campus for a teach-in on the state’s education budget cuts and new restrictions on collective bargaining at three o’clock.
Wisconsin students are encouraging students around the country to hold walkouts at two o’clock local time, and right now the national Facebook groupfor the walkout is currently closing in on six thousand members.
I’ll be updating this post over the course of the day as new information comes in.
Recall efforts have begun across the state for senators eligible for such actions. Below is information on recall requirements and links to how to find the committees organizing the efforts.
*** If you are a WEAC member, click here for specific information ***
Who is eligible for recall?
An elected official must be in office for at least a year before he or she can be subject to a recall action.
How many state senators are eligible for recall?
16 members of the state Senate fulfill the time period to be subjected to recall. Committees have registered to start recall proceedings for 14 of the 16 eligible members.
How does a recall work?
A committee must register with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and prepare recall petitions. According to the GAB, “Recall gives voters the right to reconsider their choice of an elected official; however, it does not automatically result in removal of an official from office. It provides an opportunity for voters to require an elected official to run for office again before the expiration of his or her term.”
The signatures required to trigger a recall equal a quarter of the number of votes cast in a district for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Committees have 60 days from filing to gather the requisite number of signatures on petitions.
When is a recall election triggered?
After submitting the petition, the GAB has 31 days to determine its legitimacy. If a petition is found to be valid, a recall election will be held on the Tuesday of the sixth week after the date the petition is ruled sufficient.
Where can I find information on registered committees?
Visit the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System and click on “View Registrants.” Under “Candidate/Committee Name” enter the name of the senator for whom a committee
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The Daily Show's Samantha Bee checks in on the lavish lifestyles of Wisconsin teachers. Take away collective bargaining or strike rights and, who knows, you might see teachers getting food stamps or signing their own kids up for Medicaid, too.
NARALWisconsin on Mar 10, 2011
Stumbled upon the Orpheum marquee in the midst of being changed to read, "Scott Walker starring in Total Recall," and couldn't resist catching a little video. And yes, there are two Ls in Recall
