Milwaukee labor stands against ‘right to work’
Milwaukee, WI – More than 300 workers gathered in freezing weather here Feb. 23, to rally against proposed ‘Right to Work’ legislation.
A rank-and-file labor mobilization has been in full force since Wisconsin Republicans announced Feb. 20 they would call a special legislative session to fast-track a Right to Work bill.
The Feb. 23 rally included speakers from AFSCME, the United Steel Workers (USW), United Auto Workers (UAW), Progressive Students of Milwaukee, Coalition for Justice, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA), Voces de la Frontera, Teamsters and Wisconsin Jobs Now.
“We stand with our brothers and sisters in private industry to defeat this right to work for less law,” said Bob Peterson, president of MTEA. “Governor Walker, let’s get one thing clear, you may have won a few short battles but we will win the war for the future of this state.”
Protesters then took the streets chanting, “Union power!” and “What's disgusting? Union busting!” and shutting down major streets in downtown Milwaukee.
This was the first rally in what will be a week of protests led by the working people of Wisconsin. Rallies have been called for Feb. 24 and 25 by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO in Madison at the Capitol Building.