Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

collective bargaining

By staff

_UW-Milwaukee SDS plans walkout _

Protesters continue to occupy Wisconsin Capitol

Madison, WI – Thousands are still protesting at the Capitol here, March 1. Amidst tight security, including erecting concrete barriers outside the Capitol and denying the public entry into the building, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker delivered his budget address this afternoon.

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By staff

Madison, WI – Despite a 4:00 p.m. police deadline to leave the Wisconsin state capitol , more than 600 protesters, including trade unions, community supporters and students remain on the upper floors of the building , as of 6:00 pm, Feb. 27. Chants against Governor Walker and his union busting plans are echoing throughout the halls. As of this writing, no arrests have taken place. Police have closed the entrances to prevent more people from joining the protest inside.

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By Kim DeFranco

Massive protest at WI State Capitol, 2/26/2011

Madison, WI – 150,000 union workers and supporters packed the Madison Capitol complex inside and outside on Feb. 26 to express their outrage over the anti-union bill being rammed through the assembly. Throughout the day, a continuous flow of people entered into the capitol filling all three floors. Peoples' spirits were high and their anger showed through their loud chanting which rang through the capitol: “Kill the bill!” “What's disgusting? Union busting!” and “Union power!”

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By staff

_150,000 workers and students say no to union busting _

SDS in massive Madison march, February 26

Madison, WI – 150,000 strong, union members and students flooded the state capitol on Feb. 26, the strongest showing yet to oppose Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's all out assault on public sector unions.

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By Carlos Montes

Los Angeles protest in solidarity with Wisconsin workers, 2/26/2011

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of workers rallied at Los Angeles City Hall, Feb. 26, to show solidarity with the struggle of workers in Wisconsin, who are fighting to keep their right to collective bargaining. The union members proudly wore their union shirts and carried signs reading “This is about freedom.” From AFSCME, SEIU, Teamsters, CWA, IBEW and ILWU, to name a few of the participating unions, workers expressed their anger at Wisconsin’s Republican Governor Walker’s attack on public workers.

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By staff

SDS at Madison protest

Madison, WI – “Shame!” roared the audience as the Wisconsin State Assembly voted to pass the union-busting Budget Repair Bill, Feb. 25. Yet spirits remain high amongst the thousands of protesters still gathered at the State Capitol, with mass marches and the capitol building occupation still going strong. The Wisconsin State Senate has yet to be able to pass the bill, with thousands in the streets, the 14 State Senate Democrats still in hiding and many unions preparing the beginning stages of a general strike.

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By staff

Madison, WI – The struggle at the Wisconsin State Capitol to defeat the union-busting Budget Repair Bill held strong through its 9th day, Feb. 23. The state Capitol remained occupied and as early as 7:30 a.m. the chants of “Kill the bill” could be heard from all over. Over 50 Sheet Metal workers, many laid off, came marching up to the capitol at 8:00 a.m., chanting “Union Power!”

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By staff

SDS at occupation of Wisconsin capitol

Madison, WI – Inside and out, the Capitol Building is loud and crowded. It's the eighth day of protests against Governor Scott Walker's ‘budget repair bill’ and every night, thousands of students and workers occupy the Capitol Building. The people of Wisconsin are showing determination to kill the bill.

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By staff

Indianapolis, IN – More than a thousand rallied in the capitol building here, Feb. 22 to protest an anti-union ‘right to work’ bill that had been advancing through legislative committees. Workers holding signs reading “Stop the war on workers” also joined a sit-in at the entrance of the state senate chamber.

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By Mike Gold

Milwaukee, WI – 3000 students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) walked out of classes at noon, Feb. 17 to protest Governor Scott Walker’s proposed union busting bill, which would effectively ban public sector unions from being able to collectively bargain. Students at colleges and high schools across the state organized walkouts and many school districts were shut down by teacher absences.

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