Discussion for article #233799
Kudos to the protesters. I am sure they are demoralized (and these are likely folks who voted), but they are keeping up the fight.
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Right to work for substandard wages and no benefits.
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You are correct. What is so frustrating is that all economic indicators go down in “Right to Work” states, yet Republicans like Walker are still able to sell it as a positive.
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Wisconsin had their shots at this guy and missed. It wasn’t much of a secret of the path that he would take. He is Kock from tip top to toe and they better hold on to their cheesy buns because this is just the beginning.
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You have to wonder how m,any of these Union guys also protested Walkers destruction of public unions? How many sat back and let that one happen because it was “them” getting fucked?
Unions are finished in the USA. One more turn in the downward spiral historians will be writing about in 15 to 25 years. In Wisconsin Union decimation happened because they elected Walker…and then re-elected him. Enjoy Wisconsin. IF you need company to commiserate with try Kansas.
Half of union voters went for Walker in the past election, according to a commenter on another site…disheartening and sad if true.
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There is something very sad here. This article about workers attempting to protect their unions has 6 comments and one of them criticizing union members who voted for Walker. A thread above follows an article where Walker compares American Unions with ISIS. That one has at least 8 times as many comments. But those comments do not come out in support of unions, rather they are totally focused on Walker’s obvious verbal blunder.
What I find disturbing is that there seems to be much more interest in finding partisan advantage in some minor misstatement on Walker’s part over this issue and no real support for working people and their need to have union representation. Something is missing in the progressive community if we cannot come out and genuinely support workers rights and not just use them as pawns to get more votes for Democrats. There was a time 40 years ago when support for workers unions were a major part of the Democratic Party. Today the Democratic Party barely pays lip service to union representation. We should all recognize that union representation fell as much during Clinton’s 8 years as it did during the 12 years Bush Sr and Reagan controlled the administration.
“Workers without rights” bill…let’s not be so 1984 double-speakish and call it a “right to work” bill.
Unions built the middle class in this country, yet somehow have become a punching bag for everyone–left, right, and center. Our “Democratic” Governor Cuomo is no friend to unions, but the “D” by his name provides just enough cover that he is not put on the same level as Snyder or Walker, two of the most loathsome, duplicitous, smarmy creatures in politics today.
Siding against unions means siding with corporations. Blaming unions for the trouble suffered by automakers exonerates the mismanagement of those companies. Unions NEGOTIATED contracts–they didn’t “take” anything. Last I knew it takes two to negotiate. Yet unions get the rap–if not for those unions, then the “jobs creators” would be free to hire every unemployed person in MI, in WI, in NY–whatever. And let’s take away their tax burden too, so the workers who will now make less can also pay for the services that these leeches passing themselves off as businesses get for nothing.
Union-bashing is self-destructive. I sit in amazement as my wife’s home state of Michigan is doing its best to become Michi-ssippi. Wisconsin, the state that literally put progressivism on the map with LaFollette in 1912 is now stripping unions of the fundamental ability to ASK for things, or to collect agency fees from free-loading non-members.
I thought the GOPers were against free-rides, yet that is what they want non-union workers to get…representation without paying the union that is negotiating their salaries and benefits. And a lot of people don’t see this or are stuck in that 35 year old narrative pushed from the era of St. Ronald Reaganus Magnus.
None of this makes an ounce of sense.
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Come on man, the real deal is, the Republicans despise unions because of the collective power of the unions and they are vastly lefties.
If unions voted with Republicans the rhetoric would be a full about face in a hot southern second.
It isn’t unions per se, its the huge Democratic voting block, like say, Latinos-Women-Gays-Blacks-Orientals-Smart People.