Labor & Employment Law

Message from WI Frontlines: Show Your Solidarity With Us!

By Tula Connell

Sally Davidow, Postal Workers  senior communications manager sends, us this first-hand account of events in Wisconsin she received from a 29-year old teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin. 

This bill is not about the economy. It is about politics. For more information on the bill, here is a quick summary of the implications for collective bargaining and here is a run-down of the implications for all public employees in WI.

I also want to emphasize state governments across the nation are watching Wisconsin. If this bill passed here you can count on seeing similar legislation introduced in other states. 

So that was the bad part. The good part is that in the past week I have seen and been a part of the most incredible and inspiring social movement mobilization to fight this bill. We’re on day five of the protests that have been getting bigger and bigger every day. My union has been very involved in organizing the events here. I’ve done things I could not have imagined myself doing a week ago (such as getting on a bullhorn to help orchestrate a sit-in at the capitol). We have been sleeping at the state capitol for the past 3 nights (although I finally went home to get a couple hours of sleep in my own bed last night). The whole experience is incredibly surreal. 

If you want help out (and I hope you do!) here’s what you can do:

 Spread the word! Talk to friends, post on social networking sites, send emails, texts, tweets, whatever. 

1. Go to solidarity protests in your area.
2. Comment on articles that are about the budget repair bill and write letter to editors in support of Wisconsin workers
3. Send an email to or call Walker’s office stating your opposition to the bill. Email is govgeneral@wisconsin.gov  phone is: 608-266-1212. 
4. If so inclined (I know many of you can’t do this), get your place of work to issue a statement in solidarity. 

 Anything you can do to show solidarity would help and I would really appreciate your support!

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 21, 2011 (boomark / email).