PEF joins other unions to supportWisconsin workers


Story and photos By DEBORAH A. MILES A noon-time rally outside the State


Capitol brought hundreds of labor union members together to support Wisconsin public employees. It was a fine show of solidarity February


26 as union members realized how the battle in Wisconsin also could hit New York. Speakers talked about how Wisconsin is an extreme example of union- busting. Gov. Scott Walker’s attempt to end collective bargaining for public employees has stirred the wrath of union members throughout the country. PEF President Ken Brynien told the


roaring crowd, “In all my years as a union member, I have not witnessed anything like the plight in Wisconsin. Even before Walker was sworn in last month, executives from the Koch-based group had worked behind the scenes to try to encourage a union showdown. “The Koch brothers are the poster


children of the effort by multinational corporate America to redefine this country and strip away what unions have brought to working families. The right to collective bargaining must be preserved. “We can’t let Walker’s anti-union


mission rear its head in New York. It’s spreading from state to state, like a disease,” Brynien said. PEF sent Director of Member


Mobilization Margaret Messer to Wisconsin where she worked as a marshal for the American Federation of Teachers. Messer witnessed first-hand the thousands of people who jammed Wisconsin’s State


Page 6—The Communicator April 2011


threatened.” Wilkie, a program research


specialist at the state Department of Economic Development, added, “I can fully appreciate how critical collective-bargaining rights are to have a more socially equitable country. This is a critical time in Wisconsin and we all need to support the workers.” Michael Blue, a PEF


WE’REALLWISCONSIN—PEFVP Joe Fox, right, speaks with Brian O’Shaunessy of the Labor-Religion Coalition at anAlbany rally in support ofWisconsin public employees.


Capitol in Madison. Messer said the Wisconsin workers


exhibited so much passion and energy, the experience of being there was overwhelming. “There were 70,000 people lining the


streets that lead to the capitol. They were carrying signs, shouting and cheering. Inside the rotunda you could see generations of working people banding together, families with children and grandparents. It brought tears to your eyes. “We have to support our brothers and


sisters in every way we can,” Messer said. Everyone at the Albany rally was there


to do just that. PEF Division 262 Council Leader Kay


Wilkie said, “When one worker’s rights are threatened, all of our rights are


Executive Board member and an information technology specialist 3 at the state Department of Audit and Control, said he supports the Wisconsin workers. “I believe there is a concerted


effort to destroy unionism in the United States. If members don’t let their voices be heard now and try to fight back at this point, it’s all over. “It concerns me not enough attention is


being placed on what the unions have brought to this country, and what has become the middle class of today. The middle class is built on all the benefits unions fought so hard to achieve. To turn back the clock as Gov. Walker in Wisconsin is doing, would only bring us all back to the bottom. It’s not the right idea. The fact the Koch brothers are involved in Wisconsin makes me even more concerned that union busting is part of the bigger agenda. We need to fight back now,” Blue said.


PEF Information Line: 1-800-553-2445


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