Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Poll: 61% oppose limiting union bargaining power - USATODAY.com #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Poll: 61% oppose limiting union bargaining power - USATODAY.com

Poll: 61% oppose limiting union bargaining power

By Dennis Cauchon, USA TODAY

Updated 23m ago |

The public strongly opposes laws taking away the collective bargaining power of public employee unions as a way to ease state financial troubles, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll.

By Jeffrey Phelps, AP
Protesters against Gov. Scott Walker's bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many state workers bang drums and chant inside the state Capitol Tuesday in Madison, Wis.

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By Jeffrey Phelps, AP

Protesters against Gov. Scott Walker's bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many state workers bang drums and chant inside the state Capitol Tuesday in Madison, Wis.

The poll found that 61% would oppose a law in their state similar to one being considered in Wisconsin, compared with 33% who would favor such a law.

Ohio and several other states that have new Republicangovernors and legislative majorities are considering laws that would reduce the power of government employee unions to bargain over benefits and work rules.

Wisconsin is the first state to consider the limits, prompting protests that have closed schools and drawn tens of thousands of protesters to the state Capitol in Madison.

WISCONSIN: Thousands of protesters march at Capitol
Q&A: Nuts and bolts of Wisconsin battle
PHOTOS: Thousands rally in Wisconsin

The poll results suggest how politically difficult it is to solve budget shortfalls. The survey found that people believe budget problems in their state are real but strongly oppose tax hikes to solve them. Americans are split on whether to cut state services to balance

School Tech Connect: On, Wisconsin

On, Wisconsin

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

Here's the live Ustream

Free TV Show from Ustream

Clown Governor

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

Looks like Walker's gone all banana republic up there in the capitol building.

Labor group calls for general strike if budget bill is approved #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Labor group calls for general strike if budget bill is approved

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STEVEN VERBURG | sverburg@madison.com | 608-252-6118 | (79) Comments | Posted: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 10:30 am

The 97-union South Central Federation of Labor voted Monday night to prepare for a general strike that would take place if Gov. Scott Walker succeeds in enacting his budget repair bill, which would strip most bargaining rights from most public employee unions.

The strike would call for union and non-union workers in large swaths of the workforce to stop working, said Carl Aniel, labor federation delegate from AFSCME Local 171.

It was unclear Tuesday how many workers would take part and how the strike might work.

Walker’s proposal, part of a bill to close a $137 million budget shortfall for the year that ends June 30, sparked days of massive protests at the Capitol and a walkout by Democratic state senators that has stalled action on the legislation.

The strike could affect schools, governments and private businesses, but crucial life-and-death services would not be interrupted, Aniel said Tuesday morning.

“It doesn’t mean that everyone is going to stop working on a particular moment or day,” Aniel said. “It

#wisolidarity #wiunion #weac Channel 1000 LIVE: Feb. 22, 2011 at 5:55 p.m.
Solidarity for Wisconsin workers: candlelight vigil - SEIU 1000

Channel 1000 LIVE: Feb. 22, 2011 at 5:55 p.m.<br/>Solidarity for Wisconsin workers: candlelight vigil - SEIU 1000

Channel 1000 LIVE: Feb. 22, 2011 at 5:55 p.m.
Solidarity for Wisconsin workers: candlelight vigil

12:04 PM - February 22, 2011

The SEIU Local 1000 family invites you and your family to join us and other public sector workers as we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin as they fight to protect their basic union rights and their jobs.

Channel 1000 will broadcast live from a candlelight vigil at the California State Capitol starting at 5:55 p.m. PST, on Tues., Feb. 22.

If you have trouble viewing the video, make sure you have downloaded the latest Flash Player from Adobe.

Channel 1000 makes use of a free live broadcast program from UStream.tv. Due to our free account, viewers will be subject to occasional advertisements. We appreciate your patience. Thanks for watching.

#wisolidarity #wiunion #weac Excerpts fromPress Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One en route Cleveland, Ohio | The White House

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney Aboard Air Force One en route Cleveland, Ohio | The White House

We call on the governments of the region to listen to and respect the legitimate aspirations of their people and to reform accordingly.

Q Jay, there’s going to be a labor rally in Columbus about the time that the President is here. There’s of course the unrest in Wisconsin. You’re also seeing it in Ohio and Indiana, and there’s going to be a large protest of teachers in early March over labor rules proposed by that legislature. Is the President going to address any of that today? And does he have any thoughts on this ongoing situation?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have anything for you on what the President will say today. He’s focused very much -- with regard to that, he’s focused very much on this important forum, small business forum.

And as far as his thoughts, he expressed them in an interview with a Wisconsin television station -- I believe it was last week -- where he made clear that he absolutely recognizes the need that state governments have, governors and legislators, to deal with their fiscal situation; that everyone needs to tighten their belts, and that includes public sector employees. But he also expressed his concern that the efforts specifically in Wisconsin were aimed at going right after the collective bargaining rights of unions.

So -- but that’s the extent of the White House involvement.

Q What about Kasich’s efforts in Ohio to go after collective bargaining?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have anything on that for you.

Ohio police and firefighters urge lawmakers to slow down effort to replace collective bargaining law | cleveland.com #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Ohio police and firefighters urge lawmakers to slow down effort to replace collective bargaining law | cleveland.com

Ohio police and firefighters urge lawmakers to slow down effort to replace collective bargaining law

Published: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 11:48 AM Updated: Tuesday, February 22, 2011, 12:45 PM

By Joe Guillen, The Plain Dealer
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Terry Gilliam, Associated PressProtesters jam the Ohio Statehouse rotunda last week to voice their opinions on Senate Bill 5.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Leaders of Ohio's police and firefighters — facing a Republican effort to weaken their collective bargaining rights — called on lawmakers this morning to slow down and gather more information before rushing to replace the state's collective bargaining law.

Safety forces would no longer have the right to binding arbitration under the plan, known as Senate Bill 5. Additionally, collective bargaining rights to negotiate wages and other working conditions would be wiped out for all state employees and drastically cut back for workers in local governments.

"There is no compelling evidence or reason to change the way binding arbitration as it is today," Jay McDonald, president of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, said at a news conference this morning near the Statehouse. "The speed at which this bill is moving is, quite frankly, unheard of."

Thousands of Ohio's public workers in various lines of work are expected to join police and

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: Rev. Jesse Jackson Tells 50,000 in Wisconsin: 'This is a Martin Luther King Moment!' #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

SACRAMENTO PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE: Rev. Jesse Jackson Tells 50,000 in Wisconsin: 'This is a Martin Luther King Moment!'

Rev. Jesse Jackson Tells 50,000 in Wisconsin: 'This is a Martin Luther King Moment!'

Published on The Nation (http://www.thenation.com)

Jesse Jackson Tells 50,000 in Wisconsin: 'This is a Martin Luther King Moment!'
John Nichols | February 19, 2011

“This is a Martin Luther King moment!”

So declared the Rev. Jesse Jackson [1], as he finished addressing a crowd of more than 40,000 at that had filled the grounds of Wisconsin’s state capitol. A few minutes later, he would enter the capitol and address a crowd estimated at 8,000, which filled what has been called America’s most beautiful government building to

Join with Wisconsin Workers at a Rally in Your State | AFL-CIO NOW BLOG #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Join with Wisconsin Workers at a Rally in Your State | AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

Feb. 22, 2011

Check out these video and audio clips from the historic struggle for workers’ rights in Wisconsin.

As the fight to save middle-class jobs and collective bargaining rights enters its second week in Wisconsin, more than 100 solidarity rallies and other events are scheduled around the country. Click here to find one near you. Below is just a small sample of our coverage of the long weekend of action in Madison and elsewhere. Be sure to visit AFL-CIO Now for more than 50 blogs on the workers’ fight to retain middle-class jobs and rights.

Got comments? Post them at blog.aflcio.org.

Check Out Great Video and Audio Clips from Wis. Events

Charles Woodson Sends Support to Wis. Workers

The World Watches and Supports Wis. Workers

Egyptian Union Leader: ‘Today Is the Day of the American Workers’

Wis. Teachers Ready to Help—But Not Forfeit Rights

Madison Chamber Slams ‘Adversarial’ Moves Against Public Employees

Law Enforcement Association Official Regrets Walker Endorsement

Show Your Support for Embattled Workers!

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Indiana House Democrats leave state, Wisconsin style - JSOnline #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

Indiana House Democrats leave state, Wisconsin style - JSOnline

Indiana House Democrats leave state, Wisconsin style

By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel

Feb. 22, 2011 11:04 a.m. |(26) COMMENTS

Now Democratic lawmakers from another state seem to be leaving their homes for Illinois.

House Democrats in Indiana are leaving the state rather than vote a bill that would modify collective-bargaining for some workers there, according to the Indianapolis Star.

A source told the paper that Democrats from that state's lower chamber are headed to Illinois, though the paper notes that some might go to Kentucky.

Only two of the 40 Democrats were on the Indiana House floor when the chamber convened Tuesday.

The lack of Democratic House members showing up at the Capitol in Indiana prevents the Republican

No strong teacher unions, lower SAT/ACT scores. Any correlation? | Get Schooled #wisolidarity #wiunion #weac

No strong teacher unions, lower SAT/ACT scores. Any correlation? | Get Schooled

No strong teacher unions, lower SAT/ACT scores. Any correlation?

8:38 am February 22, 2011, by Maureen Downey

In the national debate over whether teachers should have collective bargaining rights, Michael Moore, a professor at Georgia Southern University, sent some interesting data that he allowed me to share here.

Only five states do not have collective bargaining for educators and have deemed it illegal.
Those states and their ACT/SAT rankings are as follows:
South Carolina – 50th
North Carolina – 49th
Georgia – 48th
Texas – 47th
Virginia – 44th
If you are wondering, Wisconsin, with its collective bargaining for teachers, is ranked 2nd in the country.
(In Wisconsin, the new governor, Scott Walker, is trying to wipe out teachers’ collective bargaining rights.)
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011