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ABOUT THIS REPORT: Saturday, Feb. 25, 2011
A summary of news from Wisconsin and the world, aimed at keeping members and friends of the Wisconsin Labor History Society up-dated on the solidarity of workers and supporters to preserve collective bargaining rights for the public workers in the Badger State.
This special e-Newsletter is compiled periodically -- almost everyday. Feel free to send topics to kagermanson@gmail.com for inclusion.
We encourage you, if you like this report, to forward it anywhere and everywhere. And, please consider joining the Wisconsin Labor History Society, a nonprofit organization run by volunteers. Check out our website for information.
WHAT Follows:
 An Historic Day in Madison! Be a part of it!
Today, Saturday February 26th, tens of thousands of working families and community members will gather at the State Capitol to demand an end to Gov. Walker's attacks on the middle class. Come stand with Wisconsin.
A musical pre-program will begin at NOON with performances by Peter Yarrow, the UW Marching Band and USW rapper Michael O'Brian.
Speakers will address the crowd at 3:00 pm. Speakers include Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt; Mary Bell, WEAC President; Bradley Whitford, former West Wing actor; Jeff Skiles, Miracle on the Hudon co-pilot along with Wisconsin union nurses, teachers and municipality workers.
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Labor History in the Schools Bill comes into play
In December 2009, Governor Jim Doyle signed into law AB 172 which made the teaching of labor history of Wisconsin and collective bargaining part of the State's education standards. Currently, WLHS members and others are working with the State Department of Public Instruction to include such topics. It has recently found a spotlight nationally, and this appeared Friday on CNN's "This Just In" Blog Site:
"Public school teachers have been among the loudest voices protesting inside and outside the Wisconsin state capitol in Madison over Gov. Scott Walker's proposals for dealing with the state's budget problems - specifically his legislation to limit public workers' collective bargaining rights.
"Here's a piece of irony: Wisconsin law requires that public school students be taught the history of organized labor. The kids certainly are getting a real-time lesson in the subject." Read more . . .
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A proposed speech for President Obama!
The American Labor Studies website has been an excellent site to get resource materials for researching and teaching labor history. Its executive director, Paul F. Cole, shared a proposed that he made in a speech he composed that he would hope President Barack Obama would be pleased to make. Read it and you'll agree that it's a speech that the President should be able to give with great enthusiasm.
Click here.
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Wisconsin protesters setting good example
Bob Ceasa, of Huffington Post, writes:
"The protests in Wisconsin represent the apex of the fight for American labor, public-sector jobs and unions: the latter constituting a significant length of the Democratic Party backbone. And if circumstances on ground turn in the favor of Scott Walker and the tea party Republicans, middle class workers are in jeopardy of being rolled up like an outflanked and outgunned army -- rendered ineffectual, defenseless and subsequently crushed with prejudice.
"Much is at stake there and if the right to collectively bargain ultimately wins the day, it will have been achieved as the consequence of liberal persistence and toughness.
We need that persistence and toughness elsewhere.
Read more here . . .
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AFSCME opens website honoring public workers
AFSCME announced Friday it is opening a new website, standforpublicservice.org, to show how valuable public workers are to our society. Check it out!
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Police offer support; Capitol ordered closed at night
It appears the protesters will be ordered out of the Capitol at 4 p.m. Sunday for cleaning and building maintenance, according to police fliers distributed to the protesters. After that, the Capitol will be closed at 6 p.m. nightly. Nonetheless, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association issued a statement that they stand with the protesters. Also many police said they'd join the protesters and sleep in the Capitol on Friday night. Read the story here.
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Quote of the day:
From Steve Cupery:
Oh, oh, the cops are coming to Madison for a sleepover. Does this mean they are in bed with the demonstrators?
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Rhyme and Reason!
Larry Penn, retired Teamster and popular folksinger, has penned some pointed lyrics in his offering of "Little Scotty Walker." Check it out here.
Meanwhile Tom Sobottke has penned some words to "Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ray" and reprinted some famous labor song lyrics for inspiration. Read it here.
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Hip Hop for Wisconsin & Worker's Rights!
Melissa Czarnik (Zar-nik) is a Milwaukee-based singer and composer who offers a mix of potent poetry, soulful hip hop and improvisatory jazz. After receiving critical acclaim for her debut album Strawberry Cadillac (2008), she recently released her sophomore album Raspberry Jesus (2010) on Hyperdrive Motivator Productions out of Milwaukee. Listen to her "Jump Start" that memorializes the Protests in Madison.
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A Budget Crisis? Hardly, analysis shows
An analysis by Mike Ivey of the Capital Times has neatly put the Budget issue in Wisconsin into perspective. Read analysis here
For those interested in the details of the January 31, 2011 report of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau which outlined the budget issues in detail, Check out Budget Bureau Director Robert Wm. Lang's letter to the Legislature.
The best source for statewide news is the Wheeler Report:
Thanks to Will Jones, of Madison, for providing these links.
This special e-Newsletter is compiled periodically -- almost everyday, time permitting -- to inform members of the Wisconsin Labor History Society and friends about progress in the ongoing crusade to halt Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's Budget Repair Bill which would seriously restrict collective bargaining rights of public employees. Feel free to send topics to kagermanson@gmail.com for inclusion.
Disclaimer: This e-Newsletter is not an official publication of the Wisconsin Labor History Society and is compiled by Ken Germanson, WLHS President Emeritus. | 