Volunteer of the Week: Gerry Zastrow, AFSCME Local 584

AFSCME Local 584 President Gerry Zastrow was fired up about the Wausau Labor Walk on Saturday, September 18th, in part because retiring Congressman Dave Obey and AFL-CIO endorsed 7th Congressional District candidate Julie Lassa showed up to thank volunteers.

"I have known Julie for many years and she has been an outstanding representative for the working people of Stevens Point. She's really on our side," says Gerry Zastrow, President of AFSCME Local 584, which is part of the Wisconsin State Employees Union Council 24. "As a State Senator, she authored and championed legislation to stop Wisconsin from outsourcing public service jobs. That is the kind of leadership that we need in Washington.

"Zastrow has supported Lassa as a Labor Walk volunteer before. He was active in the member to member political program when she first ran for State Assembly and then later for State Senate. He plans to keep reaching out to union households in order to get Lassa elected to Congress.

With only 36 days left until Election Day, Zastrow hopes that more members will get involved. "It's pretty simple. When you go on a Labor Walk, you'll have a script to work from, but it's not about following that word for word. It's the personal appeal from a fellow union member that makes the difference."

Future of State Government?

You Get To Decide...

Again and again we hear Scott Walker’s plans for what he’ll do to state government upon election his as governor. Through all that chatter, we never hear anything positive about public services or public employees. We’re just a commodity in his eyes that can be traded for tax breaks for banks and corporations, or other ways of manipulating money to his campaign supporters. As we keep saying, the choice couldn’t be clearer. And, as one state worker said recently, “a state employee voting for Scott Walker is like a chicken voting for Colonel Saunders”. Each of us needs to go the extra mile to make sure our jobs, our families and the taxpayers we serve are not placed in jeopardy as a result of these elections. We strongly encourage members to go to the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org) to find a list of activities throughout the state in which to get involved. It is our responsibility to make sure the person elected will continue the Wisconsin Idea and will be fair and open in dealing with state government. Time is running out – you need to be involved now!

Source: AFSCME Council 24 UIN 10/01/2010

NEW Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Leadership

At the recently concluded Wisconsin State AFL-CIO convention, there was a passing of the torch in leadership. Phil Neuenfeldt and Stephanie Bloomingdale were elected President and Secretary Treasurer upon David Newby’s retirement. Phil and Stephanie bring an incredible amount of energy, enthusiasm and commitment to working families. They will move Wisconsin Labor forward. In addition, Director Beil was re-elected to the AFL-CIO executive board, representing AFSCME Council 24.

Source: AFSCME Council 24 UIN 10/01/2010

Voter Caging and Suppression Plot Exposed in Wisconsin

Our Coalition partner, One Wisconsin Now has uncovered a very disturbing plot by republicans and supporting special interest groups in this fall's election. Please follow the links provided in this blog entry to learn more and to join the movement to call upon Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to investigate this plot...

Tea Party groups, Americans for Prosperity and the Republican Party of Wisconsin are allegedly plotting a massive scheme to disenfranchise voters in Wisconsin this November.

Take action now and demand Wisconsin Attorney General JB Van Hollen and the Government Accountability Board investigate the scheme and put a stop to it.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Authority: Marty Beil, Executive Director
AFSCME Council 24 AFL-CIO

Moving Wisconsin Forward Rally

Council 24 is supporting WEAC as they help to organize the Moving Wisconsin Forward Rally. This is a critical time to show our support for investing in the essential public services that keep Wisconsin strong. In recent months, there have been increasingly negative and misleading portrayals of government and its role. These portrayals do not reflect the opinions of many who understand that investments in education, infrastructure, public safety, affordable health care and other public services are needed more than ever; they are fundamental to Wisconsin’s current and future prosperity. On October 16, we need to demonstrate our support for investing in the essential services and programs that improve the quality of life for all Wisconsin families, including high quality public schools, reliable roads and transportation services, affordable health care, and dependable public safety and emergency response networks. The Rally will be held on October 16, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the State Capitol in Madison (State Street Entrance).

Download and distribute the Rally flyer...

Presidential Visit to Madison

President Obama has announced a visit to Madison on Tuesday, 9/28 at the Library Mall on the UW Madison Campus. We encourage members to put on their AFSCME green and attend this rally and hear the President’s message about moving forward. Admission is free – gates open at 3:30 and President Obama speaks around 4:30. This is a great opportunity for family, friends and neighbors to get together and get motivated for the fall elections. Further information: wiafscme.org or you can RSVP to 608-836-5643 and leave your email address and phone and how many are planning to attend, or email info@wiafscme.org

Source: AFSCME Council 24 UIN 09/24/2010

Your Future - You Decide What Is Important

The primary elections are over and now we are in the final lap. Within the next six weeks, we need to get involved in the gubernatorial election. If you value your career in public service, and your pension, and your health care, make no mistake – one candidate has clearly emerged from primary making it absolutely clear he will have state employees fund tax breaks for the rich while meat-axing funding to improve social service programs. It seems to us that this candidate has completely declared war on state workers and all public employees and his history in Milwaukee County clearly shows that. You have two choices during the next six weeks – you can sit on your hands and watch the TV ads and delude yourself that it “won’t affect me”, or you can become active and do whatever you can to make sure that the right candidate is elected in November. The choice is clear – it is up to you. For information on how and where to get involved, check out the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org).

Source: AFSCME Council 24 UIN 09/24/2010

Special Labor Walks on October 2nd, 2010

On Saturday, October 2, 2010, tens of thousands of people from across America will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to support a progressive agenda and promote positive change in this country. The “One Nation Rally” will feature human and civil rights leaders, labor leaders, environmental and peace activists, faith leaders, celebrities and sports figures – all saying that we should put America back to work and reorder our national priorities so that investments in people come first.

Simultaneously, thousands of labor activists in targeted states across the country will be knocking on the doors of union members in a massive daylong get-out-the-vote mobilization effort to recruit volunteers for the final 4 weeks of political action leading up to Election Day.
Below is an updated list of locations for the AFL-CIO October 2nd labor walks in Wisconsin that are taking place in conjunction with the One Nation rally. Walks are being planned in other areas and I will forward that information to you as soon as it is received.

Appleton Labor 2010 Walk
USW District 2 Office, 1244 Midway Road, Menasha WI 54952
Greg Hinds 920.540.2309
9am-1pm

Baraboo Labor 2010 Walk
Baraboo
Greg Neil, 608-556-9521
9am-1pm

Eau Claire Labor Temple
2233 Birch St., Eau Claire, WI 54703
Andy Thompson, 715-831-3353
9am-1pm

IAM District 66
1307 Market St., La Crosse, WI 54601
Andy Thompson, 715-831-3353
9am-1pm

Madison Labor Temple
1602 S. Park St., Madison, WI 53715
Greg Neil, 608-556-9521
9am-1pm

Marinette Labor 2010 Walk
IBB 696 Hall, 71 W. Hosmer St., Marinette WI 54143
Greg Hinds 920.540.2309
9am-1pm

Milwaukee, WI Member to Member Walk
Milwaukee Area Labor Council
Jenissee Volpintesta, 414-771-7070
9am-1pm

Racine Labor Temple
1840 Sycamore Ave., Racine, WI 53405
Justin Geiger, 414-745-4177
9am-1pm

Sheboygan Labor 2010 Walk
Sheboygan Trades and Labor Temple, 1104 Wisconsin Ave., Sheboygan WI 53081
Greg Hinds 920.540.2309
9am-1pm

Wausau Labor Temple
318 S. 3rd Ave., Wausau, WI 54401
Scott Wright, 715-298-0033
9am-1pm

Wood County Labor Temple
220 Johnson St., WI Rapids, WI 54495
Scott Wright, 715-298-0033
9am-1pm

----------
Lee Saunders
International Secretary-Treasurer
AFSCME
(202) 429-1200
(202) 429-1114 (fax)
lsaunders@afscme.org

Impact Statement from Sara Rogers

It is YOUR choice, read the below direct and impacting statement from Sara J. Rogers, Executive Vice President of the Wisconsin State AFl-CIO:

"This election is a defining moment for working people. We will either rebuild an economy that values hard work and a strong middle class, or turn back toward one that puts corporate interests before working people. We can’t afford to go back."

Scott Walker Continues Blaming Public Employees

At a forum held at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee on Thursday, 09/23, Scott Walker continued with his blame of public sector workers causing budget woes...

Asked if he would continue to impose furloughs on public employees as governor, Walker said such measures should be a last resort to balance the budget, not as a tool of punishment.

Furloughs wouldn't be needed if employees would agree to concessions, he said. "We came in and proposed very reasonable changes in terms of wages and benefits.

We asked for a pay freeze. We asked for $30-a-month more for health care," Walker said of his dealings with public employees. "For most people outside of government, they'd say that's a pretty reasonable expectation. All of my non-union employees started that as of January. We put in place furloughs for those collective bargaining units that did not help us, because to me that's only fair that if one group of employees is helping to balance the budget and another is not, that's where the furloughs should be issued.

"Three of our unions stepped forward. They voluntarily reached a settlement. A couple of our bigger unions, for political purposes, I'd argue, decided not to do anything until after November."

If everyone agreed to the changes, Walker said, the county would save $10.3 million have a budget surplus through the end of the year instead of having to look at furloughs.

Walker also said, if elected, he'll immediately require state employees to contribute toward their pensions and will permanently eliminate some 4,000 vacant state positions.

Walker also insisted he wasn't responsible for structural problems at a Milwaukee County-owned parking garage where a falling concrete slab killed a teenager this summer.

An out-of-state engineering firm has concluded the problems go all the way back to installation in 1990s, he said.

"I was only a couple of years older than many of the students here today, so clearly I didn't have anything to do with that."

Source: WisPolitics.com

2011-2013 State Budget Deficit at $3.1 Billion

MADISON - A new analysis suggests Wisconsin faces a budget deficit of at least $3.1 billion in the state's next two-year budget cycle - $400 million more than recently reported numbers.

This is the projection, which differs from a previous report filed by
the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau in July.

Read more...[http://www.news.wisc.edu/releases/16213]

Political Lost-Timers Needed

Anyone interested in working as a political lost timer for the fall elections should forward their name and local union number to mbeil@wseu-24.org – noting “lost time request” in the subject line.

We Need AFSCME Members to Engage in Their Future

Everyone knows that primary elections occurred on Tuesday, and so the crazy election season begins. Scott Walker won the Republican nod for governor, which means we need to now focus and get busy on making sure we elect a worker friendly governor. We need to elect someone who supports the public service and workers who provide it. Someone who believes in fair taxation and who values public programs. On a Thursday morning talk radio program, Walker re-emphasized his position on the need for state employees to bail out corporations; he expressed an uneducated position on your health care and pensions. His message is that you should pay 5-6 times more per month toward your health care, and make larger pension contributions. Also, he has learned from the extortionists at Mercury Marine and Harley Davidson, because he stated that if the unions didn’t agree to the increased contributions for benefits and other “economies” he may propose, that he will layoff or furlough workers as he has done in Milwaukee County. (Milwaukee County workers are now on furlough one day per week.) Does he sound worker friendly to you?

We truly need to engage to make sure our futures are protected as well as the citizens who regularly use the services we provide. You, your spouse, children, friends, relatives, neighbors, club members must all come together and protect the Wisconsin Idea. We strongly encourage you to visit the SEPAC website (wseu-sepac.org) for information, position papers and a calendar of activities to get involved in between now and November 2nd. Obviously, the governor’s race is highly important to us, but so are the Assembly, Senate and US Senate races. We must make sure the people in these seats understand and are committed to protecting working families.

Source: AFSCME C24 UIN 09/17/2010

Wisconsin Looks toward November 2 General Election

This week’s primary election results were not unexpected, with Democrat Tom Barrett emerging from a lightweight primary as the Democratic candidate, and with Scott Walker winning a hotly contested primary race on the Republican side. The two will duke it out between now and November 2, when voters in Wisconsin cast their ballots to decide who will be the state’s next Governor, to serve a four year term commencing in January of 2011.

The most crowded primary election this year was for the post of Lieutenant Governor. Of the four Democrats vying for the seat, Tom Nelson, a Democratic legislator from Kaukana, came out on top, defeating AFSCME-endorsed State Senator Spencer Coggs, who will remain in the State Senate.. He’ll face Rebecca Kleefisch of Oconomowoc, who beat four other Republicans.

The open 7th Congressional District seat in northern Wisconsin, being vacated by the legendary Dave Obey, also will be decided by voters November 2. Democrat Julie Lassa won a decisive primary victory September 14 and faces Ashland Republican Sean Duffy. If current state Senator Julie Lassa wins that race, there will have to be a special election sometime early in 2011 for her state Senate seat.

In the state legislative world, there were numerous primary races, especially in the state Assembly, with some 20 seats open due to legislators either retiring or seeking other opportunities. Of all the contested Assembly races, the incumbents won. The only contest seat in which an incumbent lost was in Senate District 7, where incumbent Jeff Plale of South Milwaukee, lost to Democratic challenger Chris Larson. Plale had served in the state Senate since 1996. Chris Larson currently serves on the Milwaukee County Board.

The General Election is now less than seven weeks away. For information about the elections and the AFSCME –endorsed candidates, go to www.wseu-sepac.org or to AFSCME Wisconsin website (www.wiafscme.org).

All the candidates for state or federal office on the November 2 ballot will be inaugurated in early January. In Wisconsin, the next legislature will be expected to get up to speed on issues quickly because by mid-February they will be knee-deep in the state budget deliberations.

For more information, contact Steven Williams 608-269-0307 (swilliams@wseu-24.org) or the AFSCME area office at 608-836-6666.

Lawsuit Challenges Law Banning Employers Discussing Unions with Employees

The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce this week filed a lawsuit challenging recently enacted legislation that prohibits employers from discussing with employees whether to join unions.

Under 2009 Wisconsin Act 290 (SB 585), the Department of Workforce Development now requires employers to post in their workplaces a notice advising employees of their rights under the new law. Employers that violate the new law by discriminating against or retaliating against employees who refuse to attend meetings that discuss joining unions are liable for punitive and compensatory damages. Wisconsin is only the second state in the nation to pass such a law, joining Oregon.

In their lawsuit, WMC and MMAC argue that for over 60 years employers have had a federally protected right to hold mandatory meetings with employees to discuss the pros and cons of joining or supporting a union. Specifically, the business groups argue that Wisconsin's new law unlawfully interferes with free speech under the First Amendment and is preempted by federal law.The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin.