Appleton West High School students walk down College Avenue this morning protesting Gov. Scott Walkers proposal to deny collective bargaining rights to state employees. (Post-Crescent photo by Sharon Cekada)
Posted on 2/17/2011, 8:15:39 AM by tcrlaf
The state's largest teachers union Wednesday night called on all 98,000 of its members to attend rallies in Madison on Thursday and Friday, which led school districts — including Madison — to cancel classes for Thursday.
"This is not about protecting our pay and our benefits," Wisconsin Education Association Council President Mary Bell said at a press conference on the Capitol Square. "It is about protecting our right to collectively bargain."
In an interview, Bell said her message stopped short of endorsing the kind of coordinated action that closed Madison schools Wednesday. She asked teachers who "could" come to the rally to come.
As of press deadline, several Madison-area districts had canceled Thursday's classes. Middleton-Cross Plains union president Chris Bauman said she was encouraging all members to come to the Capitol at
8 a.m. Thursday.
Schools and teachers were a central focus at a third day of protests at the Capitol on Wednesday as Madison teachers and students joined thousands of public union workers to blast a plan to strip them of collective bargaining rights. Madison canceled school Wednesday after about 1,100 union teachers — almost half of its staff — called in sick by late Tuesday.
"This is the scariest thing I've ever seen," Betsy Barnard, a physics teacher at West High School, said of the Walker proposal. "This is going to change Wisconsin forever."
(Excerpt) Read more at host.madison.com ...
Hallelujah!
Look for a one-day spike in America's world ranking in education on Thursday.
There's that word "change" again. Huh. What are the odds.
Of course, by "encouraging", he (or she) means "threatening to have their kneecaps smashed if they don't show up".
All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters.
Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of Government employees. Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities. This obligation is paramount. Since their own services have to do with the functioning of the Government, a strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable. It is, therefore, with a feeling of gratification that I have noted in the constitution of the National Federation of Federal Employees the provision that "under no circumstances shall this Federation engage in or support strikes against the United States Government."
POLL TO FREEP
Do you think public school teachers are “essential” public employees like police and fire?
*
Depends on the school
33%
*
No
67%
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Take a wild guess which unions supported Walker during his election bid.
Still though, it was a smart move by Gov. Walker to split them down the middle like this.
If they had remained in solidarity, they would have been impenetrable.
Appleton West High School students walk down College Avenue this morning protesting Gov. Scott Walkers proposal to deny collective bargaining rights to state employees. (Post-Crescent photo by Sharon Cekada)
There is most likely a good portion of that number that is retirees - they want their pension increase every year.
You would think the government had never heard of a defined contribution pension plan - pretty much what every private sector employee has now (at least those not yet retired).
The Teacher’s Union picketing chant? Probably something like: “Strike against the Reich!”
I posted this before, but thought I might share it again for those who didn’t get a chance to see it.
I wrote it before Mubarak stepped down and Wisconsin stepped up. Bears repeating.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2669352/posts
I’m going to write a follow-up, given the new developments. Any and all information my fellow FReepers want to share is appreciated. I will do my best to do this issue justice, but I am a rank amateur. I just have a driving need to have a voice.
Don’t doubt it. Many professors told their classes to meet at the rally to get a grade for the day. There are documented emails from them to the students that were leaked to radio talkshow host Mark Belling & a few others.
They are taking the students and the witless rejects are going along with the teachers happily for a grade and a day or two off of school.
End all payments from the state to the universities. Let the students pay their full share. Decertify the unions and fire all the teachers, end the school year early and shut down the government. To a huge job fair and get everything going by May or June again. I know for a fact that every job would be happily taken and on the terms of the taxpayers.
The teacher’s union has to go. Milwaukee county’s school district is a fiasco and one of the very worst. Education should be a privilaged right and one that should be enforced. We need ditch diggers, so those that disrupt and take away from the learning environment get to go to ditch digger school that their parents get to pay for out of pocket. If they can’t, then they lose their state ‘benefits’ or have it prorated to their income tax. If that can’t happen, then they get to work it off by painting curbs, picking up trash, trimming trees, etc... Something needs to be done and harshly done immediately.
“”This is the scariest thing I’ve ever seen,” Betsy Barnard, a physics teacher at West High School, said of the Walker proposal. “This is going to change Wisconsin forever.”
Yes let us hope we get rid of people like yourself that cry about $45K per year (190 days of employment) and $35K in fringe benefits as not being enough to live on. Go away forever.
Sure you would..........
But use paragraphs...
Much easier to read.
Thanks.
My apology. Thank you for the criticism. Will do my best to remember and comply.
My statement was based on...history. Most people..including you will NOT refuse to pay their taxes.
You are just saying..out of hand that you would not...is laughable. And why I laughed.
Hell dude/dudette...I'm not going to NOT pay my taxes right now...because I know I will go to jail!!!
I'm easy to get along with....
No worries FRiend...
It is easier though.....
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