Labor & Employment Law

Protesters Take Battle for Workers? Rights to Governors

By James Parks

Governors from across the country got a clear message of worker solidarity Sunday morning as more than 1,000 working people and activists demonstrated their support for Wisconsin workers outside the annual conference of the National Governors Association in downtown Washington, D.C. Chanting “Kill the bill!” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” the group filled the sidewalk outside the conference hotel. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker had been scheduled to chair a panel at the conference but canceled his appearance.

The demonstrations were part of a weekend of mobilizations across the country as the spontaneous reaction to attacks on the right of public employees to bargain for middle-class jobs spread. Here are photos and recaps from some of the protests this weekend:

• Some 1,000 people rallied at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Read more here.
• In Buffalo, N.Y., some 300 working people marched in support of the Wisconsin public employees.
• The Northeast (N.Y.) AFL-CIO reports that about 250 people rallied at City Hall in Plattsburgh.
• Nearly 1,000 working people and community allies rallied in New York City Saturday. Read more here.

About 1,000 people rallied at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y.       Members of the Screen Actors showed their solidarity with Wisconsin public employees in a rally in Madison.       Utah AFL-CIO President Jim Judd fires up the crowd at a rally in Salt Lake City.       Union workers rally for support (video).

Protesters march outside the National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C., Sunday.       Hundreds rally in Augusta, Maine.       Public employees in Madison stand up for their rights.       Taryn Veit speaks out for teachers in Corpus Christi, Texas.       Protesters rally for the rights of workers across the country (video).

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 28, 2011 (boomark / email).