Friday, September 2, 2011

Democrats expected to announce campaign intentions next week | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com

As if you are not already sick of elections, we must stay focused on changing the faces in Madison that have changed the lives of Wisconsin Workers, for the worst.

As it stands today, the state, based on polling info and depending upon what poll you read, is evenly divided on RECALLING WALKER. Scott Walker is the WORST elected official in decades and if Wisconsin is to have any hope of healing and recovering from his disastrous actions, we need to stay focused and start pushing a few voters to supporting a RECALL so that we are back at having a majority of voters ready to VOTE HIM OUT OF OFFICE.

We will also be facing other races such as the need to fill the 95th Assembly District, vacated by Rep. Jen Shilling as she moves into her new role as State Senator of the 32nd Senate District. She easily ousted incumbent Senator Dan Kapanke in a recall election.

We will also have democrats vying for the 2nd Congressional District when Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin announces that she will seek the vacated seat of retiring U.S. Senator herb Kohl in 2012.

WE MUST CHANGE THE FACES IN MADISON if we are to have hope to bring back collective bargaining. DO NOT think for one moment that your work environment or compensation and benefits will improve under the current administration or legislative majority. They have already demonstrated what they think of public employees.

NOTHING has ever been handed to the employees by the employer, and nothing will be handed to the employees in the future. Thanks to Walker anf the Fitzgerald's we must ONCE AGAIN, come together as a strong and united group of workers and WIN BACK collective bargaining. AFSCME was created in a world of no collective bargaining and survived in that world until such time as it built it strength in union members to a point that we fought for and obtained collective bargaining.

If you have not done so, REJOIN THE FIGHT at http://www.wseu-24.org.

Democrats expected to announce campaign intentions next week Appleton Post Crescent postcrescent.com

Cheese, Brats, Beer, Polka, Unions! The Homegrown Revolution in Wisconsin | The Nation

Cheese, Brats, Beer, Polka, Unions! The Homegrown Revolution in Wisconsin The Nation

Dick Meister: Busting the union busters, a labor day lament | San Francisco Bay Guardian

Dick Meister: Busting the union busters, a labor day lament San Francisco Bay Guardian

WisPolitics.com: Gov. Walker: Issues executive order for a special election in the 95th Assembly District

Assembly District 95 was formally held by Rep. Jen Shilling who defeated Sen. Dan Kapanke in the recall election.

WisPolitics.com: Gov. Walker: Issues executive order for a special election in the 95th Assembly District

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Large insurance group for state workers to drop nearly 10K policies | Superior Telegram | Superior, Wisconsin

As we have already reported, WEA Trust has been approved by the Government Insurance Board to fill the void of Group Health.

Large insurance group for state workers to drop nearly 10K policies Superior Telegram Superior, Wisconsin

State union leader ask Wis. governor for meeting - Houston Chronicle

Checkout the "UIN" at the Council 24 website (http://www.wseu-24.org) to learn more about this action.

State union leader ask Wis. governor for meeting - Houston Chronicle

Rep. Scott Suder: Bipartisanship doesn’t mean giving in to the demands of one side

This is what Rep. Suder says about bipartisanship:

"Bipartisanship means coming together and sharing ideas that result in the best possible outcome for Wisconsin, which is exactly what our pension and benefit reforms did."

Who in the world will ever buy this bologna from this Republican Leader? Who came together? The Republicans partisan action drove the Democrats to do the only thing possible to shed the light on the atrocity and that was do their business away from the State Capitol. There was no "sharing of ideas" as for every amendment submitted by the Assembly Democrats was put-down. Even in the State Senate, an idea that was to be submitted by a Republican Senator was blatantly "foiled" by the Republicans so that it could not procedurally be introduced before the senate body.

Rep. Scott Suder has the same integrity level of Governor Scott Walker, NO INTEGRITY LEVEL.

Rep. Scott Suder: Bipartisanship doesn’t mean giving in to the demands of one side

How far right will the Wisconsin GOP go? - Isthmus | The Daily Page

They will go as far as needed to provide everything for the Corporations and the Wealthy and leave nothing for the Workers, People in need of assistance and our Senior Citizens.

How far right will the Wisconsin GOP go? - Isthmus The Daily Page

AFSCME Council 24 · AFL-CIO: Labor Day Message from President McEntee and Sec-Treas Saunders

AFSCME Council 24 · AFL-CIO: Labor Day Message from President McEntee and Sec-Treas Saunders

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

WisOpinion: Labor Day: Why it's important

It is now ironic to think that Governor Scott Walker oversee's the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, a commission established to facilitate mediation between employers and employees in the workforce.

He does not give a damn about the Workers! His way of thinking is "My Way or the Highway". Walker will not keep labor day as a special day for workers, we, "the workers", organized or unorganized must stay united and fend off the repressive actions of elected officials like Walker and the Fitzgerald's.

Celebrate the labors of Wisconsin Working Families this weekend, but remember, the Workers brought you Labor Day, not the Employers...

WisOpinion, Wisconsin's Premier Political News Service

State union leader ask Wis. governor for meeting - chicagotribune.com

Visit the Council 24 website for the letters and the press release.

State union leader ask Wis. governor for meeting - chicagotribune.com

AFSCME Local 60: City employees voluntarily did their part

AFSCME Local 60 is from Council 40 and represents employees of the City and County of Dane. AFSCME Local 60 does ask the million dollar question for ALL AFSCME members, just where would you expect the public employees to come up with more? STOP with the tax breaks for the corporations and the wealthy. Public employees CANNOT be the only revenue creator for the city, county and state government.

AFSCME Local 60: City employees voluntarily did their part

AFSCME | America’s Future is at Stake this Labor Day

A Labor Day message from AFSCME International President Gerald W. McEntee:

AFSCME America’s Future is at Stake this Labor Day

AFSCME Council 24 Demands to Bargain with the Walker Administration

Yes, it is true, YOUR UNION has sent letters to every Wisconsin Legislator and DOA Secretary Mike Huebsch demanding that they abide by Wisconsin Act 10 and come to the table and bargain wages for our members. Follow this link to view the letters.

AFSCME Council 24 · AFL-CIO: ETF Videos on Health Insurance Changes

Lisa Ellinger of Employee Trust Fund has created a video to explain the changes to state employees health insurance premiums as a result of Wisconsin Act 10. We encourage you to take the time to follow the below link and access the video to learn what affect Wisconsin Act 10 had on your health insurance premium.

AFSCME Council 24 · AFL-CIO: ETF Videos on Health Insurance Changes

State employees want governor to match words with deeds

Press Release
AFSCME Council 24 AFL-CIO
Contact: Marty Beil (608) 836-0024

Wisconsin’s largest state employee union is asking state legislators to encourage the Walker administration
to make good on its recent rhetoric about working together.

The Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24, on Tuesday wrote legislators asking them to
prod Walker into opening talks with state workers.

“All of us have heard the rhetoric from the Walker administration lately about working together and
resolving issues, but I guess that doesn’t hold true when it comes to dealing with 22,000 state workers, “ WSEU Executive Director Marty Beil wrote in the letter.

On Aug. 18, the union formally requested the state begin bargaining, as modified by Act 10, with five units represented by the WSEU. As was the case when the union requested bargaining at the beginning of Walker’s term, the request has been ignored and unacknowledged.

But, in the wake of recall elections that cost two Walker allies their jobs, the governor has suddenly begun talking about the need for cooperation and compromise. “This is a chance for him to match words with deeds,” Beil said.

Beil points out that under Act 10, WSEU remains the certified bargaining agent for five units of state
workers.

“By this letter, we are requesting that you communicate with the Walker administration to fulfill their
statutory responsibility, set out in Act 10, and proceed to bargain with us.

“We believe that there is an obligation to make sure the Administration follows what the legislature passes
and enacts. Anything else would be willful disregard for the law,” Beil wrote.

###

Printer-friendly version of this press release >>>

Wausau Labor Day parade organizers: Everyone can march | Wausau Daily Herald | wausaudailyherald.com

Resolution is reached and Republicans are FREE to march in the Labor Day Parade in Wausau before the spectators of Wisconsin Working Families.

Wausau Labor Day parade organizers: Everyone can march Wausau Daily Herald wausaudailyherald.com

Wirch announces candidacy for Senate, will have to move to new district

This is great news for Working Families, but it is unfortunate that Senator Wirch has to uproot his family to simply move a short distance in order to physically once again live within the 22nd Senate District. While he was in the process of putting down a Republican recall this summer, Wisconsin Republicans redrew the district lines and made the 22nd senate district geographically much smaller and thus redrew the district lines so that they did not include Senator Wirch's present home.

Wirch announces candidacy for Senate, will have to move to new district

ADD the Council 24 Google Calendar to Your Google Calendar


If you have a Google account, you can easily ADD the AFSCME Council 24 events calendar to your account.

All you will need to do is click on the "Events" button at the top of the Council 24 webpage. You will now see the events calendar displayed.

At the bottom of the events calendar click on the "+GoogleCalendar" button. When you do this you will be prompted to login to your Google account, if you are not already logged in. Once logged in you will have the option of ADDING the AFSCME Council 24 event calendar to your Google Calendar.

It is that easy and you will now have ALL AFSCME Council 24 events automatically ADDED to your Google Calendar.

Taylor addresses Iowa Democrats

Wisconsin State Senator Lena Taylor is absolutely correct and for her and many of us in Wisconsin, we have seen first-hand in 2011 just how radical Republican Leadership can be.

Her message, while not necessarily needed for Wisconsin Lawmakers and Workers, rings so true. "The Radicals Are Coming, The Radicals Are Coming", should be the battle cry not only for democratic lawmakers across the country, but for every Middle Class Worker and people of lower income and our Senior citizens.

Taylor addresses Iowa Democrats

Public Employees Aiding Residents Throughout Irene | AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

But in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker and his Republican allies want the people of Wisconsin to know that public employees in Wisconsin have no worth. While we do not deal with hurricanes, we deal with tornado's, floods and heavy snow. When these events occur in Wisconsin the "worthless public employees", as seen in the eys of Republicans, respond and restore damage caused by these events to the benefit of the citizens of their communities.

Public Employees Aiding Residents Throughout Irene AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

Milwaukee to host National Governors meeting in 2013 | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com

The NGA holding its meeting in Milwaukee is not the issue here. What is the issue and our challenge is to ensure that Scott Walker is not the representative for Wisconsin when this meeting arrives.

Milwaukee to host National Governors meeting in 2013 Appleton Post Crescent postcrescent.com

WisPolitics.com: Wirch Campaign: Statement re: 2012 state Senate election

Democratic Senator Bob Wirch says he will run in the NEW 22nd Senate District. As many of you are aware, the Wisconsin Republicans rewrote the legislative district lines so that the district's were more comprised of conservative voters and this increased the chances of Republican candidates winning their elections. This holds true even for the 22nd Senate District of which Democratic Senator Bob Wirch was able to fend off a republican recall attempt. In the redraw of the NEW 22nd Senate District Senator Wirch was drawn out of the district.

WisPolitics.com: Wirch Campaign: Statement re: 2012 state Senate election

Who does Gov. Scott Walker like out of the GOP 2012 field? "I have a bias towards governors" – Piers Morgan - CNN.com Blogs

If at all possible and you believe you can stomach more "lack of truth" from Scott Walker, then tune into CNN tonight at 8pm CST and see his interview with Piers Morgan. What is more important is to follow the below link to the CNN website and read the comments posted about the interview. All the comments are widely opposed to Walker and upset with Piers Morgan for not asking any hard questions of Walker.

Who does Gov. Scott Walker like out of the GOP 2012 field? "I have a bias towards governors" – Piers Morgan - CNN.com Blogs

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

WisPolitics.com: WEA Trust: Doubles state plan coverage area, demonstrates competitiveness

WisPolitics.com: WEA Trust: Doubles state plan coverage area, demonstrates competitiveness

Thousands of state workers have to find new health insurance - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Special Note: Union leadership is aware of this and has investigated and found that GHC inflated their costs to the State of Wisconsin and the state refused their proposal. WEA Trust, an insurance representative that has been present at the past few state conventions of the Wisconsin State Employees Union has been approved by the Government Insurance Board to offer their health insurance plans in the Eau Claire area.

Thousands of state workers have to find new health insurance - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

NFL Players Union Rejoins AFL-CIO

Your favorite players support labor.

NFL Players Union Rejoins AFL-CIO

Protester sues Capitol worker who popped balloon | News - Home

The protester is suing a state manager. The employer should be re-evaluating this state manager's employment status. One has to wonder if the Capitol worker would still be employed if they had been a represented employee.

Protester sues Capitol worker who popped balloon News - Home

Monday, August 29, 2011

WisPolitics.com: Republican Party of Lincoln Co.: GOP pols told they're not welcome at Wausau Labor Day parade

This news article will certainly spark some fair amounts of discussion, but one has to wonder that when a parade or event is held on Labor Day to honor workers, how do you justify inviting the very elected officials to participate who have done evrything in their powers this year to diminish protections for the workers?

WisPolitics.com: Republican Party of Lincoln Co.: GOP pols told they're not welcome at Wausau Labor Day parade

WisPolitics.com: Ted Kanavas: Statement on entry of Mark Neumann

In essence, what former State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-33) is telling ALL Republican Candidates, DO NOT tell the voters what you will do when in office, tell them something that you know you WILL NOT do.

Republicans NEVER stated that they would strip public employees of their collective bargaining. If they had, they would not have received the 35+% of Union voters voting for them on election day. Without those 35+% of Union Voters they would not have won their elections.

WisPolitics.com: Ted Kanavas: Statement on entry of Mark Neumann

WisPolitics.com: Rep.-elect Taylor: Statement on Justice David Prosser

WisPolitics.com: Rep.-elect Taylor: Statement on Justice David Prosser

WisPolitics.com: Come Labor Day, a new executive director of NEA from Wisconsin

John Stocks has been a long time and very good friend of AFSCME and more specifically, AFSCME Council 24 for many years. We congratulate him on his new role and are quite confident he will continue the traditions of leading NEA forward and making them even stronger.

WisPolitics.com: Come Labor Day, a new executive director of NEA from Wisconsin

Bias charged in release of report on health care reform

Citizen Action of Wisconsin identifies the Walker Administration as not "telling the truth", no surprise to many of us readers.

Bias charged in release of report on health care reform

Wisconsin schools alter sick-leave plans - JSOnline

A World beginning to build, without collective bargaining. Employees subject to the "mood" of the employer when the changes are designed and implemented. Employee is no longer permitted to have a "say" in their benefits, no negotiating to arrive at a mutual agreement.

In time, Collective Bargaining will be restored, but it must start with each member RECOMMITTING TO THE FIGHT!

Wisconsin schools alter sick-leave plans - JSOnline

Shilling Sworn In As New State Senator - Politics News Story - WISC Madison

Shilling Sworn In As New State Senator - Politics News Story - WISC Madison

DC Wrap: WisPolitics / 2nd CD & U.S. Senate

DC Wrap: WisPolitics coverage of news from the nation's capital

1. State Senator Jon Erpenbach discusses possibility of congressional run.
2. Neumann declares U.S. Senate run, Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald considers run for U.S. Senate seat.

Join AFSCME Local 383 for FREE Brats in the Menomonie Area

Friendly reminder for Union supporters at UW - Stout:

Monday, August 29, 2011 @ Time: 3:30pm - 5:30pm
AFSCME Local 383 Membership Drive
UW - Stout (Main Campus)
BRAT COOKOUT!, Clock Tower Plaza (NE Corner of Lot#14) Next to the Administration Building
Menomonie, WI

There will be an informal open forum providing answers for currently represented members of WSEU. BRATS will be provided.

Contact Person: Carolyn Kaiser at (715) 579-1881 ckaiser@wseu-24.org

Sunday, August 28, 2011

PolitiFact Wisconsin | Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus says public-employee unions spent $30 million on Wisconsin Senate recall races

SEPAC wants to once again remain Union members, NO UNION DUES money is used or can be used in these political battles. The money that was used in these recall elections come from voluntary donors. For that reason, REJOINING THE FIGHT as a Union Member is very important, but that effort needs to parallel the VOLUNTARY SIGNUP for your Unions Political Action Fund, "AFSCME PEOPLE". To everyone who has REJOINED THE FIGHT and also signed up for voluntary contributions to your Unions political fund, THANK YOU!

Have not yet rejoined the fight? Then follow this link and get on the REJOIN TODAY: https://wseu.wisconsinunionstrong.org

PolitiFact Wisconsin Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus says public-employee unions spent $30 million on Wisconsin Senate recall races

Would governor recall be a package deal? - JSOnline

This is a question that has been posed to SEPAC, but as the article identifies, there is no clear answer at this time.

If the scenario would be that ONLY a recall of the Governor would occur and a democratic candidate would win the recall election, then one could reasonably assume that you would have a Democratic Governor with a Republican Lt. Governor.

Watch this blog for further updates on this question.

Would governor recall be a package deal? - JSOnline

Do you stand with Justice Ann Walsh Bradley?

AFSCME Members and Supporters of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley!

The Sauk County District Attorney's decision that there was not a crime committed by Justice David Prosser prosecutable in a court of law in no way make Prosser's physical conduct against a fellow Justice acceptable.

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has always been a professional of the highest standards. We need to stand with her in a united voice.

Please sign our coalition partner, One Wisconsin Now's letter, I Stand with Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, here: http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&id=1334
Thanks so much!

To take action on this issue, click on the link below:
http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/Advocacy?s_oo=dE4CayTk97d2kykYKrTkCA&id=1334

If the text above does not appear as a link or it wraps across multiple lines, then copy and paste it into the address area of your browser.

If you no longer wish to receive email messages sent from your friends on behalf of this organization, please follow the link below:
http://onewisconsinnow.pnstate.org/site/TellFriendOpt?action=optout&toe=7fea2558f4be1d799870f6bc6e230fd05ea55b7f3559f1ed1ccd4c50a5c00593