Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Right To Woe Comes To Wisconsin In Piecemeal Fashion

I got home and got inundated with emails and messages all pointing to the same press release jointly released by Senators Chris Larson and Julie Lassa and Representative Sandy Pasch:
A bill being rushed through the Republican-controlled State Legislature is an attack on private sector union bargaining rights, three legislators charged today.

The proposal, sponsored by State Senator Paul Farrow (R-Pewaukee) and Representative Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg), would allow employers to reduce the hours of their union-represented employees without the union’s approval. Democratic legislators charged that the measure is the first blow in an effort to scale back private sector employee bargaining rights.

“Republicans began their war on bargaining rights with Act 10, and with this bill they have now turned their attention to private sector unions,” Senate Minority Leader Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said. “This bill is a clear opening shot at undermining private sector unions.”

“This is the beginning of ‘divide and conquer’ part two,” said State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point). “The Farrow-Brooks bill says that private sector unions shouldn’t be able to negotiate for their members. It’s one more step toward their goal of ending the right of Wisconsin citizens to have their voice heard in the workplace.”

“Sen. Lassa and I have authored legislation that accomplish the essence of AB 15 and SB 26, without increasing the risk of lawsuits or undermining the ability of unions to represent the rights of their members,” said Assistant Assembly Democratic Leader Sandy Pasch (D – Shorewood). “I urge the Republican authors of this flawed legislation to slow down and work with us in a bipartisan manner to ensure that we avoid completely unnecessary conflict and delay in implementing a work-share program.”

Senate Bill 26 and its companion, Assembly Bill 15 were introduced on Friday and were scheduled for public hearings today. Hearing notices indicate that committee votes could come as soon as Thursday. “They’re rushing this bill through to keep it below the radar before members of private sector unions and the public have a chance to react,” Sen. Lassa said.
This bill, as described, will do more than affect the hours that the private sector workers will be allowed.

Having just been through this with Scott Walker's illegal furloughs, which he used to give Milwaukee County employees up to 26 furlough days, it can affect their other benefits, such as seniority, pension and health care coverage. This legislation is a bit more than the beginning of Right to Woe laws, it's actually a watered down version of it.

No wonder the cowards are trying to ram this through with as little attention as possible.

They know that this will make the people rise up again.

But something tells me that they have more than a bunch of pissed off people showing up at the Capitol. They will need to answer to their corporate masters when Labor shuts the state down.

4 comments:

  1. It's time for a general strike!

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  2. Time to wake the sleeping giant.

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  3. Just say the word. Between this, the Supreme Court cover-up for Prosser, and this pathetic budget, there are plenty of reasons. We ready

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  4. Benefit envy has allowed so many to be blind to the big picture, and once this bill goes through, there will be even less of an opportunity for the people to revolt.

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