Scott Walker signs right-to-work bill at company that shipped jobs to Mexico

One way to keep the fight alive: Pay your union dues!

Wisconsin job-killer Gov. Scott Walker signed a right-to-work bill today at Badger Meter, a Brown Deer company that moved Wisconsin jobs to Mexico in 2009.

Badger Meter, which makes products for water utilities, may even have more employees in Mexico than in Wisconsin.

The company's shop floor workers were not allowed to attend the bill-signing event, but dozens of legislators and business leaders were. Outside, protesters picketed with signs that said right to work is bad for workers, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Wisconsin Teamsters fought with all their hearts against the bill, which was rushed through the Legislature once Republicans knew they had the votes.

Wayne Schultz, President of Teamsters Joint Council 39 in Milwaukee, issued a statement denouncing Walker:

Gov. Walker has done a great disservice to every working man and woman in the state of Wisconsin today. This fight does not end today – we will continue to fight in any way [we] can to rid our state of this destructive law.

Bill Carroll, Political Liaison for Joint Council 39, said working men and women must keep the fight alive. Carroll said:

We have the power of numbers – every working man and woman and every union member in Wisconsin must stand together to stop the continued erosion of our rights and our way of life by outside special interests.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said right-to-work laws are designed to attack working families and the middle class by weakening their strongest advocate, labor unions. Hoffa said in a statement:

Wisconsin is now the 25th state to adopt right-to-work laws as politicians like Walker push forward the agenda of their right-wing task masters. The Koch brothers, through Americans for Prosperity and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), have poured millions of dollars into states across the country to push right-to-work legislation. 

These corporate interests will not stop in Wisconsin – they continue to attack working families, moving from state to state. We must remain strong and fight them wherever right-to-work legislation is introduced. 

I make this pledge to you – the Teamsters Union will not stand on the sidelines – we will fight right-to-work wherever it is introduced and protect working families.

Koch-linked group makes $150K ad buy in WI recalls

State Sen. Dave Hansen, who just beat back a recall effort (by a mile) spoke to his Teamster brothers and sisters at Joint Council 39 in Wisconsin last night about the upcoming elections.

And there's lots of recall news.

Today One Wisconsin Now reports the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity

...has just purchased over $150,000 in television ad time for Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee in what could be a new wave of spending to try and save the six Republican state Senators who are being recalled for their support of Gov. Scott Walker’s reckless attacks on public education, health care, workers’ rights and the middle class. This is in addition to $380,000 Americans for Prosperity previously spent this year to support Walker’s agenda.

And now the social conservatives have entered the fray, trying to muddy the waters by making the election about cultural issues. Reports Greg Sargent at the Washington Post,

In a development that raises the stakes in the Wiconsin recall fight, a number of religious conservative groups — anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, and pro-intelligent design organizations — have quietly joined the fray in Wisconsin, blanketing the state with flyers and TV ads backing GOP recall targets and aggressively attacking their Dem challengers.

There are tons of ads being aired in Wisconsin for both the Aug. 9 recall of the six Republican state senators and the Aug. 16 recall of the two remaining Democratic state senators. For a handy guide to all of them, click here.

The polls are looking good for the good guys (the Teamster-endorsed candidates, that is), thanks to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers. Yesterday, the umbrella group for the recall effort announced 

We Are Wisconsin made our 1,000,000th attempt to talk to targeted voters in these state senate districts. You read that right —11,539 volunteers and staff have knocked on 363,916 doors and made 688,560 phone calls to reach 1,052,476 contacts.

If you want to help out and make sure we recall 'em all, go to the WeAreWisconsin.org website.