SDS Statement in Solidarity with Anti-Right to Work Protests in Wisconsin
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 2 statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
Students for a Democratic Society stands with the Progressive Students of Milwaukee in solidarity with the working people of Wisconsin against union-busting “right to work” legislation proposed by the state senate and supported by Governor Scott Walker.
Gov. Walker has consistently worked to dismantle public institutions, like the UW system, and to combat the power of the working class by attacking unions. Four years ago, Gov. Walker pushed through state tax cuts for the wealthy, which created a debt crisis for Wisconsin, while simultaneously proposing to solve the crisis by attacking public sector unions. An attack on the public sector which continues to this day with Gov. Walker’s proposed $300 million cuts to the University of Wisconsin system, a 13 percent cut to the higher education budget. In 2011, tens of thousands of working class people in Wisconsin stood up, occupied the Capitol building, and demanded a recall election to replace Gov. Walker. And he is at it again.
Gov. Walker is now pushing for “Right to Work” legislation, which extends his attacks on the public sector to the whole working class. “Right to work” seeks to undermine the power of organized labor to fight for better wages, benefits and conditions for the working people of Wisconsin by prohibiting unions from collecting mandatory dues from employees. It seeks to bankrupt organized labor across Wisconsin, just as Gov. Walker is seeking to bankrupt and further privatize higher education with his proposed $300 million cut to UW.
Progressive Students of Milwaukee (PSM) member and UW-Milwaukee graduate student, Andrew Carlyle states, “The people who benefit from attacks on unions are the same people who benefit from attacks on public education. When public services are liquidated and the proceeds are given away in the form of tax cuts, it's the capitalist class that benefits. When unions are crushed and workers lose their voice, it's the capitalist class that benefits. As students and as working people, we need to unite to fight back against the class war that is being waged against us.”
Students for a Democratic Society stands with the Progressive Students of Milwaukee in calling for an alliance between students and workers to stand together against attacks on unions and education. With this alliance, SDS and PSM believe we can stop these attacks and win victories for organized labor in Wisconsin and for students across the state.