70,000 rally in U.S. to defend labor rights

[6642.CN]

70,000 rally in U.S. to defend labor rights

Protesters crowd the State capitol grounds as members of the Wisconsin State Government discuss the proposed bill by Republican Governor Scott Walker, in Madison Februrary 18, 2011. The proposal by Walker to curb the bargaining rights of public unions in order to make immediate budget savings has sparked outrage among union workers in the state. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

CHICAGO, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 70,000 public workers and pro-labor activists rallied in and outside the Wisconsin Capitol Saturday to protest a Republican-sponsored bill aimed to strip the state employees of most of their collective bargaining rights.

The Police Department of Madison said 60,000 people gathered outside the building with another 8,000 inside, and no arrests have been made so far.

The rally is the latest of a wave of protests that started Tuesday to oppose a bill proposed by Wisconsin's Republican governor in a bid to force state employees to contribute more to their health-care and pension costs and give up most of their collective bargaining rights.

The protestors have filled the streets of downtown the state capital of Madison on Saturday, but were countered by a smaller but equally spirited crowd of supporters of the governor's proposed measures.

Republicans who control Wisconsin's state legislature reaffirmed that they have the votes needed to pass the measure, which is "not negotiable."

However, the protestors, some of whom camped out near the state capitol for days, said they would continue the rally on Sunday.

Nearly identical measures are advancing in Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Indiana, where newly-elected Republican governors and legislative leaders are trying to control costs by muscling concessions from government worker unions.

Nearly 70,000 rally in U.S. to defend labor rights

 

[Roybot]

Yeah its called democracy

 

[6642.CN]

Yeah its called democracy

which deprived as many as 70,000 people of their legitimate rights.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

which deprived as many as 70,000 people of their legitimate rights.

Depriving them of their legitimate right would be if they couldnt protest about it.

 

[6642.CN]

Depriving them of their legitimate right would be if they couldnt protest about it.

they are protesting against the govt, they don't bother about your democracy lecture.

 

[Roybot]

which deprived as many as 70,000 people of their legitimate rights.

Pay attention to details.

The proposal by Walker to curb the bargaining rights of public unions in order to make immediate budget savings has sparked outrage among union workers in the state.

This is how things work in democracy, if the majority doesn't like the reform the proposal will go down the shredder.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

they are protesting against the govt, they don't bother about your democracy lecture.

Lol, you thing something like what happened in Egypt is going to go down here?

 

[6642.CN]

Lol, you thing something like what happened in Egypt is going to go down here?

go ask the protester who is seen holding the poster.

 

[6642.CN]

Pay attention to details.



This is how things work in democracy, if the majority doesn't like the reform the proposal will go down the shredder.

yes, majority doesn't like systematic exploitation and thats why they are protesting.

 

[6642.CN]

Lessons for Wisconsin From the Flint Sit-Down Strikes of 1936-37
By Mark Naison

Mark Naison is a Professor of African-American Studies and History at Fordham University and Director of Fordham's Urban Studies Program. He is the author of three books and over 100 articles on African-American History, urban history, and the history of sports. His most recent book, White Boy: A Memoir, was published in the spring of 2002

With the state legislature in Wisconsin occupied and surrounded by thousands of state workers and their supporters, and with schools closed throughout the state because of teachers calling in sick, I cannot help but think of the greatest strike and building occupation in the history of the American labor movement—the Flint Sit-Down Strikes of 1936-37. Though the Wisconsin struggle is being led by government workers, and the Flint strikes involved workers involved in automobile production, both movements took place during the worst economic crisis of their era and were fighting for the same goal— collective bargaining rights for working people through a union of their own choosing—and were much more about dignity and respect than about income.

The Flint Strike, which involved the occupation of nine General Motors automobile plants over a six-week period, transformed the history of the industrial labor movement. During December of 1936, when the first GM plant was seized and occupied, the entire automobile and steel industries in the United States were union free. When the strike was finally settled, both General Motors and United States Steel agreed to bargain collectively with the CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) unions seeking to organize their industries.

The Flint strike , though it was precipitated by local conditions—a fierce unrelenting speed up on the GM assembly line , the involvement of a Ku Klux Klan-like organization called the Black Legion in suppressing labor unrest in GM plants—was part of a national movement to win bargaining rights for industrial workers. As a result, the Flint workers were supported by the national leadership of the CIO—led by the formidable John L Lewis—as well as their own national union, and numerous left-wing organizations including the Communist Party. Though only GM workers actually occupied the factories, at key points in the strike, thousands of union workers were mobilized to come down from other cities to make sure that right-wing Citizens Committees were unable to storm the plants, and that food and medical supplies were delivered to the striking workers. There were also doctors, nurses, lawyers, and journalists who came from all over the country to help the strikers. By the second week of the sit-down strikes, it was clear to everyone involved that this had become a truly national movement.

The same dynamic must operate if the Wisconsin movement is to achieve its main goal—removal from the governor’s legislative program of any effort to weaken the bargaining rights of public workers in the state. Unions around the nation who face similar initiatives (in Ohio, Tennessee and New Jersey) must send delegations to join the occupation and the protests and give whatever financial and legal support is necessary to teachers who are keeping the local schools closed. National union leaders who have a high public profile, people like Richard Trumka and Randy Weingarten, must not only come to Madison to offer their support of the movement, they must head straight to the White House to demand that President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders come out aggressively in support of the Madison movement. Student social justice organizations must send delegations to Madison to join the thousands of students at the state’s public universities who have been a central part of this movement from the beginning.

This movement has to be approached as the single most important labor struggle in the United States in the twenty-first century. If the governor destroys collective bargaining for public workers in Wisconsin, you can be sure that similar initiatives will succeed in other states. If he is forced to take attacks on collective bargaining off the table by the strength of the protest, it will reinvigorate not only the entire labor movement in the United States, but the movement to prevent Congress and state legislatures from destroying what little of a safety net we have in the United States of America.

The stakes could not be higher. So if you are in a union or part of a progressive organization, press your leadership to send people to Wisconsin. Insist your elected representatives pass resolutions in support of the Wisconsin movement. And get ready to fight the same battle in your own state when the time comes.

Solidarity forever!

Lessons for Wisconsin From the Flint Sit-Down Strikes of 1936-37

 

[Roybot]

yes, majority doesn't like systematic exploitation and thats why they are protesting.

Firstly, 70000 people isn't majority. And even if it is and people are disgruntled about some issue the government will look into the matter, no biggie. Protests are part of the democratic system.

 

[6642.CN]

Firstly, 70000 people isn't majority. And even if it is and people are disgruntled about some issue the government will look into the matter, no biggie. Protests are part of the democratic system.

70,000 people are no joke! and you can't decide whether 70,000 workers belong to the majority or a few factory owners and their govt allies belong to the majority!

and please don't talk like a govt spokesperson as if you yourself will look into the matter and give them their legitimate rights.

OK bye...

 

[Water Car Engineer]

go ask the protester who is seen holding the poster.

And I'll bet you most of them do not want to over throw the current government like what happened in Egypt. Sure if Bush ruled for 30 years we may have some problems. But thats not that case.

 

[Roybot]

He is obviously here to troll let him be fellas. Lets just wait for the collapse of America now, its imminent.

 

[Veritas]

which deprived as many as 70,000 people of their legitimate rights.

They are protesting an idealogue Republican Governor who is hell bent on Union busting in the name balancing budget. I am pretty sure no one deprived the government employees rights. It is a fight about Public Sector Unions and their bargaining rights, which the Governor is targeting to eliminate.

Nothing to do with freedom or liberty. It is war of ideas. So far it is a stale-mate.