They Are Trying to Take Away Your Rights, Your Pay and Your Union

This massive change in state law could be jammed through within the next day. Please take action now and contact your legislator. Ask them to stop this radical move to take away the rights of Wisconsin workers.

To be connected with your legislator call 877-753-5578. Politely ask them to stop this radical move to take away the rights of Wisconsin workers.  See talking points in text below or print out your own page from the resources at the bottom of this posting.

Help spread the word on the toll-free number by printing out the poster listed in the resources below.

Emergency Lobby Days!

If at all possible, please come to the Capitol this week to help stop this radical, unfair and unneeded government power grab. We need to come together right away because legislators plan to act next week!

Email to info@wiafscme.org or contact your Take Back America staff.

Click on the resources below for information.

When You Call Your Legislator, Here Are Some Points to Raise

• The Governor is rushing through radical changes that would take away rights from workers, without making any effort to talk to those workers, much less negotiate a fair agreement with those workers.

• Before drastically curtailing the negotiating rights of nursing aids, teachers, correctional offices and others, both sides should meet and negotiate in good faith. It is time to seek solutions that are fair to both taxpayers and to those who provide vital public services.

• Public employees understand the need to do more with less. Most have gone without pay raises while taking unpaid furlough days. Staffing cuts by state and local governments across Wisconsin -- and more than 4,000 unfilled state positions -- mean employee workloads have gotten heavier.

• State employees already agreed to more than $100 million in concessions in an overdue contract settlement that the governor scuttled before even taking office.

• This "budget" proposal is crammed with major policy changes. It would take away the rights of thousands of citizens without giving any time for public input.

• Please oppose Governor Walker’s radical proposal that will undermine public employee rights.

• We are willing to make sacrifices, but please don't take away our rights.

Budget Adjustment Bill Summary

Governor Walker introduced a budget adjustment bill on Friday, Feb. 11. Gov. Walker argues that the bill is necessary to solve a $136 million shortfall in the 2009-11 state budget which runs until June 30.

However, included in the bill are radical provisions that strip union rights from most public employees. These provisions would make it impossible to bargain fair contracts. Most public employees, working for state and local governments as well as school districts, would no longer have the right to collectively bargain with their employer over any issue but pay, and even that would be capped. 

Governor Walker and those who support the elimination of public sector union rights want to pass this bill as quickly as possible. They plan to have the State Assembly and State Senate vote on the bill no later than Feb. 17, just six days after it is introduced.