For That Difficult Worker on Your Christmas List

Wives ask the same question every year; what do you want for Christmas? The refrain is just as predictable, “I don’t know.” Eventually the tool chest fills up and with it the list of gift ideas shrinks.

The Carhartt Made in the USA line features some of our most legendary products. These rugged styles are stitched on American soil for any person that believes in hard work.

Here is a gift idea for the working woman or man on your list that will always be appreciated; Carhartt clothing and accessories. This legendary brand is not only the tops for quality and durability, it is UNION MADE right here in the USA.

The money that working women and men make and spend accounts for 70% of the economic activity in America. The way we spend our money can make a huge difference in the lives of working families. Tax breaks for the rich will never turn them into so-called "job creators." The only thing that creates jobs is increased sales. The way to put more Americans back to work is for those of us with jobs to spend our money on goods and services that put our brothers and sisters back to work. BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN.

Whether you are getting that special someone a coats, work pants, and socks for both men and women the Made in America line are produced by United Food and Commercial Workers Union - UFCW members in two plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

These cloths look really good, feel great and wear like iron. My Carhartt jacket has seen years of hard work in the woods clearing brush, plowing snow and fixing the darnedest things you can think of. It has protected me from flying branches, fire, and of course the cold or Wisconsin winters. If you want to make that someone special really happy on Christmas Day, give them a gift of Made in the USA work clothing from Carhartt.

Show Support for MTI

It is time to support Madison Teachers Incorporated (MTI) in their efforts to secure a contract extension with the Madison Metropolitan School District. Attend the special meeting scheduled for Monday, September 24th at 6:00 PM. Come to the Doyle Administration Building, 545 W. Dayton, next to the Kohn Center.

The ruling by Judge Calas last week, voiding much of Act 10 and re-instating collective bargaining for teachers, county and municipal workers, opens a window for employers to reach agreements in good faith with the working women and men whose rights were trampled by the overlords of Fitzwalkerstan. Madison teachers want to work with school administrators and the board to reach an agreement that extends the current contract in a way that benefits the children, while protecting worker rights and holding the line on property taxes.

AFSCME workers were successful earlier this week reaching such an agreement with Dane County. The parties were able to come together in less than three days to fashion a contract extension that contains zero pay increases, will not increase taxes, and preserves the County’s ability to use furloughs and layoffs, if needed. In addition, the agreement contains language that could save taxpayers up to $5 million, if increases in the costs of employment cause the County to exceed levy limits.

Now teachers in Madison want their turn to show the parents and the community that good labor relations trump the politics of divide and conquer forced into place by Governor Walker and the Fitzgerald brothers. They need your help to convince a skeptical School Board that working families support collective bargaining. Please join me at the administration building on Monday evening. Let’s show people across America that here in Wisconsin we don’t do things the Rohm Emanuel way. Workers and management can work together to do what is right for the kids and taxpayers, while protecting the dignity and collective bargaining rights of those who teach.

Labor Day Weekend

Please join me in thanking the working women and men of Wisconsin who are getting their children ready for the classroom once more. This Labor Day, join with me to both remember the sacrifices these folks make every day for their families and their communities.

The American way of life has been under attack for thirty years. You know the symptoms: increasing concentration of wealth, declining wages and benefits, loss of retirement protections. All the while, the economy itself is doing just fine. Income and wealth disparity is as high as it has been since before the Great Depression. The last recession supposedly ended more than two years ago, but you would not know it walking down Main Street.

There is no single answer to our current economic mess. Many of the answers require courage vision from our leaders, which does not appear to be anywhere in sight. We do hold one part of the answer in our hands, or more accurately, our wallets. Retail consumption currently accounts for 70% of all economic activity in America. The decisions we make every time we spend money is critical to the future working and middle class families. The answer is simple: BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN.

It can take work to find union made products. First stop for every working household should be the Union Label & Service Trades Department of the AFL-CIO website. Find out which contractors in your area are union and patronize them whenever you need repairs or remodeling. Shop at local farmers markets or sign up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. Give gifts made by local artisans.

Remember, even though you spend more to for union-made or local products and services, you get so much more. Your money stays in our economy, circulating around and around. That has been the magic of the American Dream. As we grew and flourished in the middle of the last century, we plowed that money back into buying the goods and services we produced. That virtuous cycle it the essence of a strong economy.

We cannot, as individuals, change the world; but only individuals can do their part. We cannot give our children the America we want for them if we continue to fill our homes with massive amounts of cheap foreign crap. The true struggle for economic freedom in America can only be won when me make smart decisions with our hard earned wages.

Happy Labor Day! BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN!

The Gathering Storm

In their rush to save the world from economic ruin, ensure universal access to healthcare and protect gay service members, President Obama and the Democrats in Congress missed on vita task. By neglecting to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, they allowed the right-wing to maintain its most potent weapon against democracy.

It is difficult to imagine the rapid development of the Tea Party absent the propaganda machine that is Fox News. Fair and balance content would have similarly spelled the death of syndicated right-wing shock jocks. Restoring impartiality on the public airwaves could have prevented the (you know what) storm we faced in 2010.

Redistricting is a direct result of progressives neglecting the electoral side of politics and focusing on policy. Sure we were facing the toughest economy in a century. Yes, we had two wars going on a half a world away. The possibility for healthcare reform never looked better than it did in the spring of 2009. Discounting the resolve and tools of the right-wing was a huge mistake. If we ever find ourselves in possession of the levers of power again, we must look to preserving first those aspects of our democracy that form its foundation. My fear is that opportunity may be lost to our generation. The clouds are forming and we are facing down a storm that threatens to extinguish the flame of freedom in America.

Robin Hood in Reverse

Congressional republicans are giving a great imitation of the Prince John and the Sherriff of Nottingham. By now we know that they are dead set on maintain tax cuts for the wealthy. No surprise there; they have always protected the interest of the 1%. What most Americans do not know is that hidden is their budget repair proposal is an average $900 tax increase for middle and low-income families. Yes, the GOP really is robbing the poor to give to the rich.

Their proposal would remove the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit that millions of working families depend on. This cynical effort to balance the budget on the backs of those least able to pay highlights the evil of their unbridled greed.

Yes, there is class warfare being waged in our Nation; and evil republicans are the aggressors. Removing the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit to pay for tax cuts to the wealthy is just cruel.

Americans Want Made in the USA

Big business says, "workers should learn to live on less." Americans say, "quit outsourcing our jobs." An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that most our us who work for a living want to see jobs come back here. A recent Center for American Progress article highlights those feelings.

While the AFL-CIO is right that we want to buy things Made in America, we often work against our own best interests. Three quarters of our economic activity every year is generated by consumers. Fat cats might control 85% of the wealth, but our huge numbers and the ability of the 99% to turn money over many times a year (velocity) makes our spending much more important.

That means you and I must take responsibility for how we spend our money. Stop shopping at retailers like Walmart that import cheap mechandice from overseas. These same retailers use their buying power to force manufactures to exploit their workers. Shop at responsible retailers.

Buy less stuff and pay attention to where it is made. BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN. Not only will you be protecting your job and those of your neighbors, you'll have less cheap crap cluttering up your basement and garage. No need for garage sales every couple years. Most importantly, you will be doing your part for our economy. A great source of information about responsible shopping is the Label Letter, published by the AFL-CIO Union Label & Service Trades Department.

State and local taxes, like consumer income, gets pumped back into economy almost as fast as it is taken in. We need to tell our elected officials the same message. BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN. They will listen, if we tell them it is a priority. Lobby your elected offcials. Hold their feet to the fire when they propose contract bidding standards; forcing them to make how they spend our taxes as important as how much much they spend.

How you spend your money matters and how your tax dollars are spend matters too. The jobs you save may be your own.

WRS Presentation

Nothing to Celebrate in Rural WI Schools

Make no mistake, the decision by republicans in the 2011-2013 WI budget were designed to make punish poor school districts. Of the $792 million in school aids cut over two years, $749 million came from equalizing funds. That means that rich and predominantly republican school districts in places like Waukesha saw only a very small reductions, while poor districts got hammered.

According to the Wisconsin Budget Project, "the deep cuts to school equalization aid are widening the rift between rich and poor school districts. The findings from a UW analysis by James Shaw and Carolyn Kelley make us worry that there will be a wider achievement gap for students as well. For example, they found that:

- High-poverty districts had their state aid reduced by $703 per student in the 2011-12 school year, while low poverty districts lost just $319 per student.

- Public school staffing was reduced by 5.7% in high-poverty districts in 2011-12, compared to 1.1% in low-poverty districts."

Rural school districts are especially hard hit. State school aid cuts are compounded by falling property values to cripple schools already fighting falling enrollment. While suburban schools escape with little impact, kids outside Dane and Waukesha counties bear the brunt of the republican cuts.

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE - BUY UNION

Getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July? Remember to BUY UNION! The choices you make with your dollars mean good paying jobs here in America.

Check out this handy buyers guide to shopping union on Indpendence Day. Made in America: July 4 Shopping List, Fire up the Grill, Union Style has everything you need to celebrate the holiday while making our economy more secure for working families.

Gnashing of Teeth

There has been lots of analysis, a boatload of finger pointing, of course way too much wailing and gnashing of teeth. For those of you still sitting on the curb moping about getting your butt handed to you on June 5th, take heart.

What we did here at the state Capitol in Madison sparked the Arab Spring. Millions of people are now free in Egypt, Libya and Yemen; inspired by our example. The Occupy Movement and the 99%ers would not have happened if public employees and their supporters in Wisconsin had not stood up to overlords of Fitzwalkerstan.

More than 100,000 students are protesting in Quebec for lower tuition and fair student loans because they saw students at UW Madison stand up to be counted. Those students this week inspired thousands of other students in Mexico City to do likewise.

Abused and exploited workers at Palermo Frozen Foods defied their bosses and risked INS harassment, formed a union are walking the picket line in Milwaukee as I am writing this.

Good does not always triumph over evil. Workers at Manitowoc Crane and Ashland Industries were stripped of their union security rights by bosses bent on dominating their workers like the plantation planters in slavery times. The battle for freedom continues as thousands are slaughtered in Syria by their leader; a man whose arrogant power madness those workers in Ashland and Manitowoc know all too well.

Yes, sometimes we win. When we do, it feels great. Sometimes we lose, as we did against Walker, Kleefisch and Fitzgerald on June 5th. Circular firing squads, depression and catharsis only make the evil people stronger. It is time to pull up our big girl and big boy pants and head off to work.

There is plenty to be done. Remember the support we enjoyed in March, 2011. People were putting up We Support Public Employee signs in their yards. Small businesses put the signs up in their windows. The media was buzzing with story and we for once controlled the narrative. A single misstep; a lapse in judgment resulted in sending out a letter to local southeastern Wisconsin businesses. That letter, which took an unfortunately hard line was seized upon by evil republic mouthpieces. Public opinion though broad was only an inch deep and quick as you can say “Jack Sprat” the old boogie man narrative of union bosses and greedy public employees re-asserted its dominance.

It is time for the long game. We must not only focus on the next election, in order to be successful, it is time to fashion and drive our own narrative statewide. It is difficult to do and our enemies will look for every opportunity to drive us out of the town square. Teachers, county and municipal workers and their families will be on the frontline of this battle.

We need to increase visibility and debunk the negative stereotypes pushed by the right wing. How? Show the flag in positive ways. Teachers in low income neighborhoods in Madison have for years organized neighborhood picnics, provided tutoring services and made their presence really felt in the community. Folks in those neighborhoods knew their teachers were not the overpaid greedy people the right was trying portray. Public employees across Wisconsin can learn from their example. We control the narrative by showing people in their everyday lives the truth; unionized public employees are dedicated public servants who are part of their communities and fight everyday to make those communities a better place to live.

Next, workers still control most of the spending that fuels our economy. While the 1% control 80+% of the wealth, working families still account to the vast majority of economic activity. That is because we spend pretty much every dollar we earn. When we earn a buck, we pump it back into the economy within days or weeks of getting paid. That increases the velocity of economic activity, a fancy word for sales. Any business school or economics graduate will tell you that the single metric that business uses to decide when to hire new employees is SALES.

The 1% their profits to buy up other companies, combine operations and lay-off more workers. That is why tax breaks for the rich do little to stimulate the economy. Give a rich guy a tax break and he is more likely to use that additional money to buy up other businesses. Why, because that is the shortest route to increased profits.

If a business used tax breaks to hire new employees without additional sales, the products that new employee made would just go into the warehouse, filling it with unsold inventory. The business would then need to discount the inventory to move it out of the warehouse, which would depress future sales. The picture is even worse in the service sector. Tax break driven hiring would result in new employees with nothing to do. With no additional sales, those idle workers would have little to do but surf the web or play cards. That is why tax breaks don’t increase employment. Businesses might use the additional money to improve plant and equipment, but even there productivity would go up, but without additional sales going out the front door, bosses won’t hire. More profits but not more jobs.

How can we help? BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN. When workers spend their hard earned paychecks wisely, we can make a difference. Buy less stuff, especially things made overseas. Think when you pull out your wallet or checkbook, “Where will these dollars go?” We can make a huge difference by redirecting just 10% of the money we spend. Make a difference!

Finally, take an active role in your local union. If you haven’t yet signed up to be a dues paying member, do it now. Lots of folks worked with United Wisconsin, We Are Wisconsin and other campaign organizations. Now is the time to direct some of that energy inward. Find out how you can use your time to build a stronger union. Offer to get information out to your co-workers, post information on the bulletin board, or organize shop meetings over lunch. Your union really wants to talk with its members and those who have not yet signed up.

If you are now pretty comfortable knocking doors and making phone calls, try putting those skills to work for your local as a volunteer organizer. We have been bloodied, but we are only beaten if we give up. One day longer, one day stronger; SOLIDARITY!

Let's Make History Today

The last sixteen months have been frustrating and angering. The overlords of Fitzwalkerstan have ignored our voice. They behaved as though we did not matter. Today is the day those of us who live and work in Wisconsin get our say. Voters like you and me, speaking together through the ballot box will defeat the big money. We will turn back the lies. We will make history. There were 60,000 plus more votes cast in Dane County in 2008 than in 2010. That is more than enough additional votes today to defeat Scott Walker, just here in Dane County. When you cast your vote today, know that tens of thousands of volunteers have been actively working the past two weeks, knocking doors and making phone calls. This community is mobilized like never before. Polls open at 7:00 am and stay open until 8:00 pm tonight, but why wait. Vote early and savor your revenge that much sooner. If you took advantage of early voting, congratulations and thank you. Log onto the Wisconsion Government Accountability website to find your polling place. Wisconsin same day registration is still in effect. So, even if you have never voted before in Wisconsin, just bring along a current utility bill or something that shows you have lived in the neighborhood for 28 days and you can register on the spot. It’s easy. Here are a few other things you can do to help even more. Every one of these will make a difference in the outcome. 1) Remind three co-workers to vote. 2) Call your relatives in Rhinelander and Appleton and remind them to vote. 3) Check with the folks who live around you to see whether they have made it to the polls. Offer to give them a ride. 4) Pull out your cell phone or address book and dial friends, acquaintances; folks you haven’t talked with for a while and ask them to vote for Tom Barrett. 5) Head down to the Labor Temple at 1609 S. Park St and volunteer to make phone calls or knock doors. Shifts will run all day until the polls close. Vote for Tom Barrett and Mahlon Mitchell today. Make your voice heard in the mighty chorus that is saying, “Your pink slip has arrived.”

Take Control of Your Life - Step 1

Working families that raise at least some of their own food reap some pretty impressive benefits. First and most obvious, food you grow yourself is fresher. Many foods taste really different when prepared immediately or eaten fresh from the garden. Sweet corn comes to mind, but then again, truly fresh herbs are completely different than their dried bottled cousins.

Second, you know how it was grown. No wondering exactly what the USDA Certified Organic label means. You know exactly how it was grown, because you did it. Because the food is healthier, so are you.

Third, you get exercise and have the satisfaction of eating what you raised. I really enjoy gardening – even weeding. Community gardens allow apartment dwellers, condo owners and even those who cannot afford any permanent housing to have a garden. If you choose to rent a community garden space, you get the added advantage of making friends with fellow gardens.

Fourth, you save money. The biggest reason poor and working families in Wisconsin consume so much junk food is because it is relative cheap calories. Fresh and nutritious food costs money.

The big bonus to you and your family is that instead of forking over money at the grocery store, you have a little left to help pay those rising health insurance premiums, or the higher utility bills you get to pay for subsidizing the 5% utility bill discount Walker gave to big corporations last year. Yes, the 1% has unbounded greed and they could care less what you eat. Raising at least some of your own food returns to you a measure of control over this very important aspect of your life.

Resources

Community Action Coalition - Community Gardens

City of Madison - Community Gardens

Eagle Heights Community Gardens

Community GroundWorks (Troy Gardens)

Video Provides Smoking Gun

By now, most of you have seen the “divide and conquer” video clip. This is the smoking gun that provides definitive proof about the motives of Walker and the evil republicans in Wisconsin’s GOP. In case you missed some of the dialog between Scott Walker and billionaire Diane Hendricks, was a transcript made by JSOnline.

This video shows first that Walker lied when he said that destroying public sector collective bargaining was about balancing the budget. It is clear that it was about destroying unions themselves. Second, public sector employees are not the end game. The stated purpose of the overlords of Fitzwalkerstan is to destroy ALL unions, public and private sector.

Why is this such a big deal? All of the common benefits most of us take for granted; weekends, sick time, vacations, health insurance, workers compensation, health and safety regulation; were won by unions. Corporate profits were up in the past two years. In 2010, a whopping 97% of all wage increase dollars went to the top 1% of American workers. Union workers fared better than non-union workers. Clearly, there is money to pay workers more. It is the unbounded greed of billionaires, like the one featured in this video, which drives their desire to crush the only voice for working folks.

The code word “right-to-work” is their means of destroying the voice of working people. When unions win collective bargaining rights, they typically demand that contracts include a “union shop” clause. Once an employee, who is covered by the contract, is hired, he or she must join the union and pay dues. This is fair for three reasons: 1) a majority of coworkers have voted to say they want to be part of the union; 2) all employees get the same wages, benefits and working conditions which are better than non-union workers at other employers; and 3) federal law requires that a certified union represent all of those in the bargaining unit, regardless of whether they are members of not.

So-called “right-to-work” language says that employees are not required to join the union. However, because federal law says that the union is still required to represent them. Likewise, they are entitled to the same wages, benefits and working conditions as their dues paying union brothers and sisters. This means that employees are allowed to freeload on their union coworkers.

Many states in the south have “right-to-work” laws that prohibit union shop language and thus permit freeloading. The result of this open shop language is that membership in begins to fall. As the number of union members at a company declines, so does their ability to negotiate wage increases and strong benefits. The ultimate aim of the employer is to erode union membership to the point where they can instigate a decertification election and get rid of the union completely. Barring they, the company can weaken the union to the point where it no longer has any effective power. Wages in “right-to-work” states are lower and benefits are weaker than in union shop states. Just as important, workers in union shops have an effective advocate when the boss disregards the contract. The boss cannot hand out overtime to his buddies, deny vacation requests to those he doesn’t like or insult workers in front of their co-workers. These dignity and justice issues are just as important as wages and benefits, and they unions are the only way workers can have a voice.

The “divide and conquer” video was shot several weeks before Walker dropped the bomb in February, 2011. The timing of his remarks make it clear that Walker and the Fitzgerald brothers calculated their actions to attack all working families, regardless of whether they work in the public or private sector. Okay, it is clear why the likes of Diane Hendricks wants to kill unions; greed. What is in it for evil republicans? The answer there is the other word; power. Unions are major contributors to Democratic candidates. Since business outspends unions $12 to $1, however, contributions cannot be to reason. The real value that unions bring to the political arena is volunteers. Union members volunteer their time in huge numbers; making phone calls, knocking on doors, putting up yard signs, and helping folks get to the polls on Election Day. Let’s be clear, other than a handful of paid coordinators, union campaign workers are rank and file members who freely give of their time to help with campaigns. Those big unions bosses that the media holds up as evil demons cannot compel their members to give up their free time, workers do it because they want to elect politicians who will stand up for them.

Private sector workers found out in November just how what Diane Hendricks and the Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce (WMC) overlords have in store for them. CEO of Manitowoc Crane, and former Chair of WMC, demanded his union machinists accept "right-to-work" language in their contract. International Association of Machinist (IAM) members and Manitowoc crane voted 180-2 against that contract and went out on strike. After two months, Manitowoc Crane brought in scab strike breakers and force IAM workers to accept open shop language.

Encouraged by Manitowoc Crane, management at Ashland Industries made the same demands of their workers. There too, IAM members voted 40-0 against open shop language and went out on strike. Ashland Industries bosses then brought in strike breakers of their own. The pattern is set and clear as a bell for all who have eyes to see. This is the final push by the 1% to kill unions and the voice of workers forever.

On June 5th, Wisconsin voters will decide which vision of our state will prevail. Electing Tom Barrett and Mahlon Mitchell will restore balance to state government and say “yes, ‘elections have consequences;’ so do lies and deception.”

Failing Grade

Failure! There is no other word for it. Walker's record of job creation, using his own standard of 250,000 is just 2%. No curve in the world will give Walker a passing grade.

He runs around America, put up as the masiah of the right, dysing public school teachers and public education. Mr. Walker, if my kid came home with grades like yours, there would be no video games or television for the rest of the school year. You have not been doing your homework!

Mayor Dave Sells his Soul

I am a dues paying union member. I draw a paycheck from the taxpayers, who compensate me for keeping their Capitol in good repair. I do not get paid by any UNION BOSSES. I speak my own mind and unlike Madison's former mayor, my resume is not sitting in any candidate's desk drawer.
Mayor Dave went out of his way to polarized the Democratic primary campaign for Governor with his recent Isthmus editorial. Cieslewicz knows that three candidates for Governor stuck their necks out to do what they could to stop Act 10. Doug Lafollette stalled its implementation as long as he legally could; giving Kathleen Falk enough time to get into court and file suit against the destruction of collective bargaining. Kathleen Vinehout lived in a motel room for two months and had to fend off her own recall effort last summer. Tom Barrett issued a press release.
Thousands of us braved the cold, wind and snow in December to gather recall petition signatures. We found out Christmas week that when a reporter asked Tom Barrett when he signed the recall petition, he said he still had not decided whether or not to sign. 600,000 Wisconsinites made the commitment, but Tom Barrett lacked the courage to take even that basic step. According to the evil republican Verify the Recall database, Barrett never did sign the Walker recall petition. If that is true ... Mayor Dave, did you bother to ask him before the two of you climbed into bed together?
Barrett has been very effective in the past week getting endorsements and planting that he is the only candidate with sufficient name recognition to beat Walker. Polling shows otherwise. According to the real numbers, only Lafollette is out of competition. Falk, Vinehout and Barrett are all virtually tied across the state. The voters are saying they would rather vote for that lousy brown paper lunch bag, than they would Walker.
By manipulating the message, driving a wedge between public sector trade unionists and others in the 99%, Barrett hopes to split working families. Tom Barrett knew hid last spring. He is the only Democrat who failed to show up at the rallies. He used the “tools” that Walker gave him to screw Milwaukee city employees. He failed to even show up for the AFSCME endorsement interviews. Teachers remember that Tom Barrett tried to take control of the Milwaukee School District and blamed them for its poor performance; ignoring its massive underfunding.
AFSCME went through an incredibly fair endorsement process. It was open and thorough. A wide net was cast and every candidate had an equal chance. Barrett, because of his previous actions, placed himself at a disadvantage. But that is not the fault of AFSCME. Barrett screwed city workers and now wants to make them the bad guys. He made the decision not to even participate.
The now infamous AFSCME video was over the top. They have admitted their mistake. Frankly, there are plenty of excellent reasons to support Kathleen Falk and Barrett has provided ample reasons for concern. It is equally important; however, for Barrett supporters to admit that they have exploited this misstep way out of proportion. The Barrett campaign is attempting to “Swift-Boat” AFSCME and the Falk campaign over a relatively minor distortion – never intended for public distribution.
Mayor Dave, I supported you over the cranky old Soglin last spring. My bad! There is a reason why “the big public unions (WEAC and AFSCME) are not all that popular with voters.” You bash us whenever it suits your purpose. You have shown yourself a true whore.
When the primary is over, public employees will work their butts off to elect the candidate selected by the voters. We will defeat Walker on June 5th. We will not be silenced and we remember those who sell themselves for a handful of silver.

MacIver Issues Grades by Dealing Off the Bottom of the Deck

The McIvery Institute publishes bogus grades on schools to explain away their racist educational reform policies.
Below is a direct quote from their press release explaining the criteria used to rank schools.
“The goal behind these rankings was to create a basic, but wide-ranging, program to gauge the performance of Wisconsin’s public school districts. The hope is that by creating a level playing field in district-to-district comparisons across the state, parents and policymakers will be able to use these rankings to demand more of their school districts. Several metrics were used to create an aggregate rating system. This includes:
• Global Report Card performance (math and reading)
• WSAS (WKCE) performance – 4th grade reading
• WSAS (WKCE) performance – 8th grade mathematics
• ACT scores and participation
• AP scores and participation
• Four-year graduation rate
• District attendance
• Concentration of students from economically disadvantaged families
• Concentration of students with limited English proficiency (LEP)”
The first criteria appear to have some face validity. However, note the last two measures used to rate schools. Your school district gets rated down just for having higher percentages of poor and Latino students.
Of course Milwaukee and Racine are at the bottom of the pack when McIver stacks the deck. What we have here is a classic case of dealing from a rigged deck. The top rated school, gets that rating in part because it is so racist and exclusionary. Most Wisconsinites will remember that Brookfield was sued for using its planning commission to stop low income housing from being built in their city. Talk about blaming the victims! Oh heck, who wants to go to school with poor folk anyhow? Why don’t we just call ‘em all lazy while we’re at it?
What would happen if all dem little black childs decides to take their vouchers and go to school in Brookfield. Oh, day can’t do dat? Hows come? Oh, because day is po and the right kind to bring out to Waukesha County. Awe, shucks! Well, at least we can send them to schools where they won’t be bothered to have to take all those pesky standardized tests. Best of all, we can defund the heathen Milwaukee Public Schools with all their liberal unionized teachers. Guess that’s the real reason anyway.

Fight So-Called "At Will" for Public Employees

Large employers have been quietly forcing their employees to accept a change in their employment status from permanent full-time staff covered by "just cause" protections to "at will" employees. Workers who have been with the same company for twenty years are being told they are now essentially day laborers. The practice has been pushed by business schools and organizations like Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce to prevent employees from suing for wrongful dismissal.
Now the uberlords of Fitzwalkerstan want to make public workers "at will" as well. You will of course remember how Walker lied to the people of Wisconsin when he swore that the end of collective bargaining would fair for workers because state employees would still have their Civil Service rights. "At Will" employment would remove those protections and allow evil republicans to turn the entire state into their own Tammany Hall style political machine.
Find out more about this proposal and scream like hell! This is just the type of legislation that the Governor could still try to push through in another of those so-called JOB CREATION special sessions.

Spread Easter Joy

Photo by William Melton / SEIU

Easter is a time to celebrate. As a Christian, it tells of the resurrection, for others it is a celebration of spring. Regardless of why you celebrate, the how is universal – CANDY!
This year, fill those Easter baskets with union-made candy. Doing good by shopping union couldn’t be easier.

Courtesy of LA Union 411 website

Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans need to be in every Easter basket this season. They are the perfect topping on the grass and show that you care enough to BUY UNION.

Courtesy of the UnionPlus website

Peeps are an Easter icon and every little colored chick or bunny is made by workers who enjoy union wages and benefits. Just as important these folks know they will be treated fairly because they have fair working conditions guaranteed by a strong contract.

Here is a list of union made candy and snacks. Indulge your sweet tooth while you support working families across America.

Hershey Products Necco (New England Confectionery Company)
Hershey Kisses* Sweethearts
Hershey Syrups Mary Jane Peanut Butter Chews
Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar* NECCO Wafers/Necco Wafer Smoothies
Hershey Milk with Almond Bars Sky Bar
Hershey Special Dark Bars Clark Bar
Hershey Nuggets Canada Mints
Rolo Candy Cupboard
Hershey Kissables Thin Mints
Kit Kat Bars NECCO Assorted Junior Wafers
Carmello Bar Clark Junior Laydown Bag
Cadbury Fruit & Nut Bar Mary Jane Laydown Bag
Cadbury Roast Almond Bar Haviland
Cadbury Royal Dark Bar Mallow Cups
Cadbury Dairy Milk Bar Necco Peanut Butter Kisses
Jolly Ranchers
Hershey Symphony Bar with Toffee Ghiradelli Chocolates
All filled & non filled squares
Just Born non pariels
Peeps Chocolate chips
Mike & Ike
Hot Tamales Gimbals Fine Candies
Peanut Chews JellyBeans
Jelly Beans Cherry Hearts
Scotty Dogs
Jelly Belly's Candy Company
Jelly Bellies - also made in a non-union plants in Chicago/Taiwan Nestle
Chocolate Dutch Mints Nestle Treasures
Chocolate Temptations Laffy Taffy
dimples Kathryn Beich specialty candy
Goelitz Confections Baby Ruth*
Goelitz Gummi Butterfinger*
Pet Rat Pearson's Nips
Pet Tarantula Famous Old Time Candies (gourmet chocolates)
Sweet Temptations Nestle Crunch Butterfinger Crisp
Candy Corn
Licorice Pearson's Candy Co.
Malted Milk Balls Salted Nut Roll
Chocolate Coated Nuts, and Sours Nut Goodie
Sunkist Fruit Gel Slices Mint Patties
Bun Bars
American Licorice
Black & Red Vines Anabelles Candy Company
Strawberry Ropes Boston Baked Beans
Jordon Almonds
Sconza Candies Rocky Road
Jawbreakers U-Nos
Chocolate Covered Cherries Look
Chocolate Big Hunk
Abba-Zaba
Kraft Yogurt Nuts & Fruit
snack products
Keebler
Frito-Lay Chips Deluxe
Doritos Pecan Sandies
Rold Gold Cheez-it
Lays Potato Chips Vanilla Wafers

Nabisco Bachman
Corn Nuts Pretzels
Chips Ahoy! Jax Cheese Curls
Oreos Keystone Snacks Party Mix
Nutter Butter Cheese Curls
Vanilla Wafers Corn Chips
Graham Crackers
Orville Redenbacher
popcorn
Reprinted from the UnionPlus website

BACK TO WORK

Why are we waiting and watching the recall challenge? Why are we not using these days registering voters? We should also be IDing likely voters who did not sign the recall petition at the doors and on the phone. That information can be shared between organizations now, but once the recalls are certified, that sharing must stop.

As a former campaign worker and officeholder I know that one rule of politics that is inviolate, “You can always raise more money, but you cannot buy another day for any price.”

Sure, it's been nice to have ten days off, more or less. Now is the time to climb back into the trenches and continue digging.

One day longer, one day stronger!

Our Future is a Lock

In the President’s State of the Union speech last night, he spoke about the competitiveness of unionized American workers. I was delighted to hear him mention not only a unionized plant, but one right here in Wisconsin – Master Lock in Milwaukee.

The Master Lock Company recently closed a plant in China and moved production back home. The next time you need a paddle lock remember the union workers of Master Lock in Milwaukee and through one of their locks in your shopping basket.

It is the buying power of American workers, spending their money supporting good union jobs that will rebuild the Nation. Together, we will build a stronger America. Our future is a lock, when we buy union products and services. BUY UNION, BUY LOCAL, BUY AMERICAN.

On January 26th, 285 workers at Cablevision in Brooklyn will vote to join the CWA.. Most of the Brooklyn workers are black and make an average of $12.85 an hour, while their white counterparts on Long Island make $2.00 an hour more. Labor Notes provides an excellent analysis of the current situation. For personal accounts of working conditions leading cable installers in Brooklyn to organize and the trials they faced trying to gain representation, check out the New York Times article. These guys work hard in dangerous conditions. They deserve to have a voice and bargain collectively for better wages and working conditions. Contact  CWA Local 1109 for more information about their struggle and how you can help organize a union where you work.

Dirty Big Secret

     There is a really big secret that evil republicans in Scott Walker’s administration and the state legislature don’t want you to know. A provision in the state budget passed last summer creates a commission to look at the performance of the current Wisconsin Retirement System and its pension plans. While its direct effects will be on the lives of public sector retirees, the ripple effects will land squarely on Wisconsin taxpayers.

     Most responsible adults are thinking about their retirement decades before it arrives. Conventional wisdom that is preached for workers preparing for retirement is dollar cost averaging, where the investor puts a set amount in every month, regardless of the current value of the fund. The logic is that when the price of the fund goes down, because the value of the underlying stocks and bonds has decreased, your dollars will buy more fund shares. When the value of the fund increases, the value of that larger number of shares means you make more money. The financial wunderkind assure us this is the best long-run investment strategy.

     Now here is the Big Dirty Secret. Defined contribution retirement plans have just the opposite effect once you retire. The corollary to dollar cost averaging during your working years is receiving a set amount from your retirement account each month after you retire. Most of us expect to get a retirement check to pay for utilities, groceries, insurance, taxes, healthcare costs, clothing and maybe even a little travel. The problem is when the value of your shares goes down, because the market slumps, that monthly check you receive requires the sale of more fund shares. That is your capital, or wealth, slipping away; and you will never get it back. Since the market tends to cycle about every 8-12 years, you can expect to take at least a couple of these big hits on your savings.
So what? For the first ten maybe twenty years, there is still money in the account. However, just as you head into your eighties and your healthcare costs really take off, your retirement fund is running out. When you need savings the most, your retirement fund is gone. Millions of Americans loss their homes and end up on Medicaid because their defined contribution retirement accounts failed them when they needed them most.

     You may not be a public employee but the explosion of Medicaid costs to care for indigent seniors will do the state budgets what Medicare threatens to do at the national level.

Lets Finish Fitz Right

Brothers and Sisters,

We are in the final two days ay of collecting signatures to recall Scott Fitzgerald, and we need your help to finish him off.  We’ve had a great showing the past week in the district and plenty of people are responding to signing the petition to recall the guy who helped Gov Walker strip away our collecting bargaining rights by violating the open meetings law.

Today and Saturday are the last days to collect signatures.  Please show up to ensure we bring down Gov Walker and his biggest supporter in the legislature.

LAUNCH TIMES 

Friday 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Visibility
Friday 3:00 PM - Canvass

Friday 6:00 PM - Canvass 

Sat 9:00 AM - Canvass / Visibility 

Sat 12:00 PM - Canvass 
Sat 3:00 PM - Canvass 

LOCATIONS 

513 E. James street, Columbus, WI

Contact: Drew Proctor, WAW
(248) 707-9103


408 E. Main, Watertown, WI
Contact: (920) 248-1840

This is our chance to send a clear message that Scott Fitzgerald will hear loud and clear when he returns from winter break after MLK Day. Hope to see you there.

The Most Important Recall Weekend

Nobody thought last fall, when the big thinkers were planning recall strategy, that we could recall Scott Fitzgerald. The Senate Majority Leader was seen as untouchable in his own district. One woman in Fort Atkinson didn’t listen.

Lori Compas would not stand by and let this evil person get a pass; so she took action and filed herself. The word spread, and even though the Democratic Party, We Are Wisconsin and Wisconsin United did not back the effort. They all thought it was a doomed campaign.

Lori’s neighbors and others across the 13^th Senate district did not agree. Using many of the tactics born from the Occupy movement, they organized themselves. These citizen leaders combined their efforts to recall Walker and Kleefisch with a truly grassroots campaign to Recall Scott Fitzgerald.

Last night the Recall Scott Fitzgerald campaign announced that it had collected 13,600 of the 16,762 signatures needed to recall the arch bishop of Fitzwalkerstan. All that hard work was noticed by the other recall groups and this week, they are joining forces to back Recall Scott Fitzgerald.

This is the weekend to close the deal. Call (920) 675-9805 to volunteer for this incredible weekend of action. There are eight Recall Scott Walker sights spread across the district. Shifts at each location will be 9:00AM, Noon, 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.

The weather will be great. The Packers have a bye, you won’t miss a moment of their march to the Superbowl. The reception has been great.

We can do this! All that is needed to close the deal this weekend is 12 volunteers per shift per site.

Your help right now will make Recall Scott Fitzgerald happen. Call Mark Horn at (608) 836-0054 for carpooling information from Madison. We have done an incredible job here in Dane County, now is the time to “Make Jefferson Blue.” Let’s head east to Jefferson and close the deal on Scott Fitzgerald.