From: President McEntee &. Sec-Treas Saunders [mailto:President_SecTreasurer@afscme.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2011 5:35 PM
To: AFSCME Leadership
Subject: Wisconsin
Sisters and brothers –
AFSCME members achieved unprecedented success in the Wisconsin recall campaigns. On Tuesday, Aug. 9, Wisconsin voters elected two progressive women, Jessica King and Jennifer Shilling, to replace two anti-worker Republican senators.
A week later, state Senators Jim Holperin (D) and Bob Wirch (D) easily defeated their right-wing opponents. Both Holperin and Wirch are members of the “Wisconsin 14,” the courageous state senators who stood up to Gov. Scott Walker by leaving the state in a bold effort to block a vote on his anti-worker bill that revoked collective bargaining rights for thousands of public service workers.
A full report of the Wisconsin recall effort will follow. But here are the key points: Republicans have gone from a 19-14 majority to a razor-thin 17-16 advantage. And with the continued support of GOP Sen. Dale Schultz who voted against the anti-rights bill, Scott Walker no longer has a working majority in the state senate. In fact, Scott Walker’s anti-worker bill would not have passed in the new make-up of the Senate.
The AFSCME-led We Are Wisconsin coalition did an incredible job. Nearly 1,500 AFSCME members volunteered on the campaigns. AFSCME staff members worked full time. Our polling center made hundreds of thousands of calls. Donations poured in. Special thanks to all of you who sent resources to Wisconsin, and also to the leaders of our Wisconsin affiliates, who made these victories possible: Marty Beil, executive director, Council 24; Rich Abelson, executive director, Council 48; and Rick Badger, executive director, Council 40.
Throughout this campaign, Walker’s popularity with voters has tanked, both overall and among independents. His own political future is now in doubt. As our new video documents, the momentum we have achieved in Wisconsin must now be turned into victories in other states where AFSCME members are fighting back for working men and women.
Click here to see the video: http://www.afscme.org/blog/fighting-back-and-making-history
The message is clear: If you tread on our collective bargaining rights, you’ll suffer the consequences at the ballot box!
In solidarity,
GERALD W. McENTEE
President
LEE A. SAUNDERS
Secretary-Treasurer
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