Union Rally Story

In opposition to Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker’s proposal that requires state employees to make payments to state pensions, and in an effort to eliminate collective bargaining, thousands of union members and employees alike began protesting on February, 15^th 2011, in an on-going demonstration to “Kill the Bill.”

According to The New York Times, this is not only affecting the worker’s health insurance, but is also decreasing their take home pay by almost 7%. Walker has also made his intentions clear in regards to trying to weaken collective bargaining, essentially taking away the voice of the state workers, only allowing discussion to revolve around basic wages.

“Mr. Walker has effectively declared war on the working class…this is most certainly a class warfare, and a prime example of union busting which we will not tolerate,” said Marcia Grey, 47 of Long Island, New York, who has been working in the housing department for fifteen years. Dozens of protesters, comprised of various union workers, stood in line in the freezing cold outside of City Hall on Monday to stand in unity with their fellow union members. When asked why they were there and how it correlated with the events in Wisconsin, thirty-six year old staff analyst Alan Gabriel said “It is not a question of if - it is a question of when these issues will spill over to New York, as it is already spread to Ohio, and 6,000 teacher cuts have been announced…we must show solidarity in order to speak for those whose voices have gone unnoticed, and will continue to go unheard.”

Terri Trimbell, executive director of the Fox Valley chapter of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, was quoted at a union press conference saying “I think it’s very positive to have people from other states coming to (protest) Wisconsin’s demise.” Many of the protesters stated that they felt this was a personal vendetta that Walker was taking out on the citizens of Wisconsin, many of whom have been state employees for over thirty years, yet make a little less than 40,000 dollars a year, “barely enough to cover a single person’s expenses, let alone the head of a household who has mouths to feed, and children to put through college,” said Jennifer Wright, a public service member for almost twenty years.

According to The New York Times, this decision made by Governor Walker was because he had “no more options;” simply put by Walker himself “wer’e broke.” Wisconsin is facing its largest deficit in history, reported to be around the $137 million dollar range. Public voting is to be held by the end of this week, in a supposed effort to reinstate union bargaining rights. Though many fear it will not make a difference, as both the Assembly and State are predominately ruled by Republicans.

Protesters seemed optimistic that if enough people stood up, their voices will be heard, and a positive change will be made. “We are just asking for equality and basic human rights,” said Wright, “is that too much to ask for?”