Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Message from Retired AFSCME Leader to His State Representative

February 28, 2011

To: Dan Meyer (SEPAC Bio)
From: Leonard Cody
Subject: Worker Rights

Jackie Cody wrote “it’s not about money, it’s about every worker’s rights to collectively bargain”. Worker rights in Wisconsin have been around much longer than you, Scott Walker and your corporate supporters the Koch brothers. The Budget crisis perpetrated by Scott Walker and his Republican supporters like you is a disgrace to Wisconsin.

Currently there are support rallies around the World to show support for Wisconsin public workers. There are statements of support for public workers from all over the World. One of the most interesting comes from (op-ed in the NYT) New York City Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg who defends unions’ right to collective bargaining: He states unions play a vital role in protecting against abuses in the work place and they are integral to training, deploying and managing a professional work force. He goes on to say we should no more try to take away the right of individuals to collectively bargain than we should try to take away the right to a secret ballot. Take a moment to reflect on Mayor Bloomberg and that he is a Republican with the right message. It is obvious he has respect for workers and families, which in my opinion is opposite of most Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature including you.

The Wisconsin Retirement System and the Wisconsin Health Insurance program is employee and union driven. One of the biggest cost saving mechanisms in the history of the Health Insurance program resulted through collective bargaining by the Wisconsin State Employees Union. My bet is you know nothing of that. The Wisconsin Retirement program as we know it today is a product of Roy Kubista an AFSCME activist and lobbyist, John Lawton a long time AFSCME supporter and lobbyist. With AFSCME leading the way and supported by other unions we have a premier retirement program. It makes me sick to think that Wisconsin politicians who are trying to break unions are eligible for these benefits.

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