Wisconsin’s Walker OK with working workers to death Belonging to a public employee union has been equated with being a terrorist. That’s according to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. Walker recently made a comment in which he compared union activists and supporters who filled Wisconsin’s capitol building in 2011 to demonstrate against his attack on public employee collective bargaining rights with terrorists. The potential presidential contender was asked how he could deal with the Islamic State (ISIS) if elected president. “If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the globe,” he replied. Walker later backpedaled on his comments, trying to suggest he is capable of crisis management, but to the unionized public employees in his state taking care of the sick and elderly, plowing roads, teaching children and protecting his safety and that of all those the governs, the comment was a direct insult and a damning characterization of where Walker’s mind is at. Walker has signed legislation that made Wisconsin the 25th “right-to-work” state, undermining worker rights and solidarity. Two Wisconsin state legislators recently submitted legislation that would effectively end “the weekend,” allowing workers to work more than seven days in a row without a day off. Right to work laws are pushed by extreme pro-business interests who frequently are quite dishonest about both the intent and the effects of such laws. When it comes to anti-worker, anti-union agendas, Walker has a very powerful partner in U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has introduced an amendment to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would establish a national “right to work” law. In the 25 right-to-work states, the average worker earns $1,540 less than in free bargaining states, like New York. Workers in right-to-work states are 28 percent less likely to have health insurance, and the states have a 15.3 percent poverty rate, as opposed to 13.1 percent in free bargaining states, according to Working America. Here’s the most damning statistic: the rate of workplace deaths is 36 percent higher in right-to-work states. Walker’s petty insults equating public employee union members with terrorists can be brushed off, because we’ve all faced worse in our fight for respect and fairness. What can’t be brushed off is that right-to-work states are really right to be poor, get sick and get-killed-on-the-job states. We can’t stand for this and need to fight back. April 2015 The Work Force 5
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