Today's Teamster News 01.01.14

Settlement reached at Northern Tier Refinery in St. Paul Park Minneapolis Star Tribune ...Union and company negotiators reached a tentative agreement about 5 p.m. Tuesday, averting a strike that had been called to begin at midnight at the Northern Tier Refinery in St. Paul Park. The deal, which must still be voted on by about 190 workers, came just in time, said Chris Riley, business agent for Teamsters Local 120. “We went to the edge of the cliff,” Riley said…
Are we heading for the world's first TRILLIONAIRE? Tax Justice Network ...if you're under 60 years of age, you're likely to witness the emergence of the world's first trillionaire...
In No One We Trust (opinion) New York Times ...trust is becoming yet another casualty of our country’s staggering inequality:..
30 Million People Worldwide Are Living As Slaves Huffington Post ...The Global Slavery Index released a shocking report last week, estimating that almost 30 million people worldwide are living as slaves...
US population growing at slowest rate since 1930s, census data shows The Guardian ...“This sharp bump that we've seen in the last few years does suggest that the economy has a lot to do with it.”...
How NAFTA Drove Mexicans into Poverty and Sparked the Zapatista Revolt Alternet ...The North American Free Trade Agreement, passed 20 years ago, has resulted in increased emigration, hunger and poverty...
Case-Shiller Home Prices Double Digit Annual Increase Party May Be Over Economic Populist ...The October 2013 S&P Case Shiller home price index shows a seasonally adjusted 13.6% price increase from a year ago for both the 20 metropolitan housing markets and the top 10 housing markets. This is an incredible price run up and has not been seen since the height of the housing bubble, February 2006...
Only A Quarter Of Unemployed Americans Receiving Benefits After Congress Failed To Act: Data Huffington Post ...The number is the lowest since the Department of Labor began keeping records in 1946. Before Congress let the federal unemployment benefit-assistance plan expire on Dec. 28, 38 percent of unemployed Americans who paid unemployment taxes were receiving unemployment insurance either through their state or the federal government...
Residents allowed to return home after smoky North Dakota rail crash Reuters ...Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted on Tuesday in Casselton, North Dakota, where a fiery oil train crash a day earlier triggered a series of blasts and forced residents from their homes...
Business property tax cut could drive up other taxes, report says Indianapolis Star ...A new legislative report says cutting the business personal property tax could raise taxes for homeowners and workers across the state...
Pot Shops in Denver Open Door to $578 Million in Sales Bloomberg ...Fox’s shop is among 14 in Denver that got state and local licenses in time to sell marijuana to anyone 21 or older starting Jan. 1, just over a year after Colorado and Washington voters made their states the first to legalize recreational use. Washington’s shops are expected to open later in the year. Colorado projects $578.1 million a year in combined wholesale and retail marijuana sales to yield $67 million in tax revenue…
Solidarity Sing Along up; The YMCA of Dane County down Isthmus ...The state's Fourth District Court of Appeals rules that people who were charged for singing in the (Wisconsin) Capitol Rotunda during the noontime protests are allowed to use discovery in their defense, which means they can call witnesses and seek evidence the state has against them...

1st WI recall petition to be filed; referendum looking bad for Walker

Good morning. Koch whore Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be recalled in 276 days, according to the Teamsters recall clock.

In the meantime, Wisconsinites will go to the polls on Tuesday to vote for a Supreme Court justice. The race is viewed as a referendum on Koch whore Walker. And it looks like the incumbent, a Walker clone named David Prosser, could be in trouble.

An internal tracking poll leaked earlier this week showed Prosser and challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg (endorsed by the Teamsters) are neck and neck.  Yesterday, Prosser's campaign co-chairman, former Gov. Patrick Lucey, resigned and endorsed Kloppenburg. Channel 3000 reports that Lucey issued a statement saying,

I have followed with increasing dismay and now alarm the campaign of Justice David Prosser, whom I endorsed at the outset of his campaign and in whose campaign I serve as the honorary co-chairman.  I can no longer in good conscience lend my name and support to Justice Prosser's candidacy. Too much has come to light that Justice Prosser has lost that most crucial of characteristics for a Supreme Court Justice -- as for any judge -- even-handed impartiality. Along with that failing has come a disturbing distemper and lack of civility that does not bode well for the High Court in the face of demands that are sure to be placed on it in these times of great political and legal volatility.

(Must have been that, "I'll destroy you, bitch," comment of Prosser's.)

Here's more bad news for Koch whore Walker: Democrats have enough signatures to recall ethically compromised Republican Sen. Dan Kapanke. According to the LaCrosse Tribune, they will file recall petitions today.

You can bet Wisconsin Teamsters are working hard to get people to the polls.

WI GOPer: 'We've broken the power of unions'

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald sent a fundraising letter saying -- well, you have to read it to believe it.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the story:

In a fundraising letter, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) writes that government employee unions have "ruined California and Illinois, but they're not going to ruin Wisconsin.

"That is because Republicans faced down Big Labor's bully tactics and a Democratic walk-out in the state Senate to break the power of unions like WEAC and AFSCME once and for all," Fitzgerald said in his letter.

Fitzgerald says in his letter that union supporters picketed his home "to intimidate and scare my family. They packed the State Capitol with raging mobs of union protesters - many from other states - who had been worked into a frenzy by union leaders. They even made death threats against those of us who stood up to their political clout."

We'd like to point out that the Wisconsin protests have been without exception peaceful, family-friendly affairs. The only people who advocated violence in Wisconsin were two Indiana Republican prosecutors. One tweeted that police should use live ammunition on the protesters. The other emailed Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker to tell him he should fake an attack on himself and blame protesters.

Wait, there's someone else who advocated violence: Walker himself. Remember the prank call? During the call, the fake Koch brothers says,

...what we were thinking about the crowds was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.

And Walker replies

...we thought about that. The problem — the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them ... My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems.

Fitzgerald said in his letter that he anticipates a recall effort. Ya think?

Wisconsin's struggle: Today's it's seniors (video)

Here's a great explainer about what's at stake in Wisconsin. It isn't just collective bargaining rights for government workers.

As Rally Girl reports,

Firefighters have protested. Police have protested. Teachers have protested. Farmers have protested. Working families have protested. Now, seniors are joining in the fight to stop the War on Workers.

Seniors and retirees are gathering today at the square in Madison to protest Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker’s state budget plan, which would make major cuts in the state’s SeniorCare program.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel explains that the budget would end SeniorCare’s current prescription drug program, forcing thousands to pay hundreds more per year for private drug coverage. The newspaper reported that most people in SeniorCare won't be better off in Medicare Part D.

On Feb. 10, Walker announced there would be no cuts to the SeniorCare program. Now his administration is telling people that although cuts are going to be made, seniors won’t see any changes in their benefits, a claim the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups calls deceptive. The group says seniors will see a lot of change and many will drop out of the program.

Like much of Walker's agenda, the proposed change to SeniorCare will benefit big corporations. It is estimated that private companies selling prescription drug plans could rake in $100 million in additional revenue from seniors cut from SeniorCare.

Walker wants to ban wind power

A Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel op-ed asks why Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker proposed a law that would make it nearly impossible to site wind energy projects in the state.

The op-ed, titled "Wind power ban is a jobs killer," says the proposal is part of a special bill submitted by Walker. The author calls it "one of the most perplexing proposals in the package."

There's nothing perplexing about it. As ThinkProgress has pointed out, dirty-energy company Koch Industries

...is a major player in Wisconsin: Koch owns a coal company subsidiary with facilities in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Ashland and Sheboygan; six timber plants throughout the state; and a large network of pipelines in Wisconsin. 

Can you say, "Koch whore?"

Great anti-Walker turnout in LaCrosse



Looks like an energetic anti-Koch whore Walker crowd showed up on short notice in LaCrosse this afternoon. They weren't even sure when he'd be there. Walker was to tour the City Brewery, and we understand there was no public notice of his visit. People just showed up hoping he'd arrive when they were there.

We'll learn more later from our Brother Rob Moss, business agent for local 695. He's busy protesting right now. Right now we're relying on @emd10s tweets and tweetpics. Here's what we learned:

Protesters line the streets outside la crosse with lots of of honks to accompany chants #wearewi

and

Chants fill air in opposition to walker as he tours local brewery in La Crosse #wiunion

And here's what @emd10s shows us:


Meanwhile, even a Fox News poll shows the public is on our side. Though Fox tried to spin the results differently, here's what the nationwide poll says:

60% say "unions are still necessary to protect workers"

Over two-thirds say states should allow public employees to negotiate over wages (69%) and pensions (68%).

And here's an amazing result. Even though the question was designed to get the result that "these debates are better described as serious attempts to address budget deficits," a plurality gave the answer Fox didn't want:

44% say these debates are better described as "political attacks to try to kill unions," with 38% saying they're "serious attempts to address budget deficits." 

Including the 8% who say "both," that means 52% agree this is an attack to try to "kill unions."

Stay tuned for more bad news for Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker.

DC protesters storm bldg, take to streets (rally recap)

Rally Girl's report on yesterday's protest against Wisconsin Republicans in Washington, D.C.:

A vibrant protest outside headquarters of lobbying firm BGR, the site of a $1,000-a-head corporate fundraiser for GOP Wisconsin lawmakers, turned into a monster rally when Teamsters and other union members, concerned citizens and community activists stormed the building. The rally, which drew thousands—some directly off the street—took place in the center of Washington, D.C., yesterday at rush hour.

With bells, whistles, soda cans filled with rocks, drums, signs and voices, thousands flooded past security guards into the marble lobby chanting “Shame! Shame!” in an act of solidarity that sent goose bumps down those present and gave a message to corporate-backed politicians that their days in office are numbered.

When a large banner that read “Respect Workers’ Rights” was unfurled at the foot of a statue, the crowd went wild. The energy remained high as protestors exulted, singing chants of democracy and solidarity.

Nearly an hour after occupying the building, protestors left the lobby for the streets. Numbers were so great that D.C. police had no choice but to block off intersections, giving the people free rein of the block in front of BGR headquarters. Drum circles were started as ralliers celebrated, all while directing their attention at the corporate stooges inside.
The voices of protestors singing, “What does Democracy look like? This is what Democracy looks like!” could be heard for blocks and blocks.

But ralliers couldn’t be contained by just one street. Not long after they filed peacfully out of the building, protesters marched through D.C. Police once again acted quickly, blocking off intersections and rerouting traffic to ensure protestors remained safe. The high-energy, peaceful parade made a stop at the White House before continuing on to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Ralliers eventually made their way back to the BGR headquarters, where many of them stayed until late into the evening.

Salon offers this video of the protest.

Rally and Recall in Milwaukee

After this weekend's monster rally in Madison, community groups are continuing to turn out and rally for workers' rights. More than 1,000 workers, students and others came out to the "Rally for Our University and Our Community!" on Monday at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Tom Bennett, president of Teamsters Local 200 in Milwaukee was there, and had this to say:

The support was impressive. There were students, community members, labor leaders and two of the Fab 14, Sen. Lena Taylor and Sen. Chris Larson. The rally was very well organized, with the message of the April 5, 2011, elections in the state and the replacement of picket signs and chants for boots on the ground with clipboards and petitions to recall the Wisconsin Republican 8!

If you live in the Badger State, here's a list of recall offices. These are offices that will be open for the duration of the recall. You can stop in 7 days a week from 9am – 9pm to sign petitions, canvass and volunteer.

SD 2-Senator Cowles
Green Bay
1061 W. Mason Street

SD 10-Senator Harsdorf
Menomonie
105 21st St. N

SD 14-Senator Olsen
Portage
216 W Wisconsin St.

SD 18-Senator Hopper
Oshkosh
480 Main St.

SD 18-Senator Hopper
Fond du Lac
21 N. Portland St.

SD 32-Senator Kapanke
La Crosse
116 5th Avenue South

Fab 14 return amid thunderous cheers

This tweet from @mikethechang says it all:

just got to see the #wi14 pass by. So. Much. Spine. Y'all rock. Proud. Choking up

The Fab 14 came home on Saturday to a crowd that Fox News estimated at 100,000 (so double that number). They marched around the Capitol and then gave speeches to the cheering protesters who chanted, "Thank you, thank you," "Welcome home," and "We're with you."

Beforehand, the senators held a news conference. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel quoted Sen. Dave Hansen of Green Bay (who still considers himself a Teamster) saying

"it's great to be back in Wisconsin," as he appeared at a news conference with the 14 Democratic Senators who returned to the state Saturday.

Hansen choked up as he recalled missing birthdays of his daughter and a granddaughter.

"So people think this is a picnic for us, they're wrong," he said. "We did it for the right reasons, we stood up for our working men and women in the state. "

Later, the enormous crowd roared as Sen. Mark Miller vowed to fight on.

You have shown the world what democracy looks like.

Associated Press reports:

The Democrats say they'll now shift their energy toward recall efforts already under way against some GOP colleagues. Senator Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee says Walker has forced Republicans into "walking the plank" by passing the law...labor leaders have said they plan to use the setback to fire up their members nationwide and mount a major counterattack against Republicans at the ballot box in 2012.

Saturday's protest got a boost from a parade of more than 30 tractors driven by farmers supporting the union workers. Thousands of people lining the sidewalks cheered as tractors rolled by ...Tod Pulvermacher, 33, of Bear Valley, drove a tractor towing a manure spreader carrying a sign that read, "Walker's bill belongs here" -- a reference to Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

Massive farmer-labor protest in WI

At least 100,000 protesters showed up in Madison today, and they're not happy with Scott Walker.

An Elvis impersonator holds up a sign with a picture of Walker that says, "Even a king knows when to listen to his people, and YOU ain't the king."

Steve Nelson from Local 200 is sending us photos of such anti-Walker signs and the huge crowd in Madison. We'll post them when we iron out our technical problems. News reports say Day 27 could be the biggest protest yet.

Brother Nelson also sent us a photo of a tractor, as today is the day of the tractorcade.

Rally Girl is watching the protest on the Internet and, as a Cornhusker, found a farmer's speech quite moving. She reports:

Some may question why farmers are rallying in Wisconsin in support of public-sector workers. As a rural American, I can attest to the fact that the labor movement and the family farming movement are one and the same. Both groups are fighting giant corporations, fighting for a special way of life, fighting to make a living from the work they do. And both support each other in their everyday lives. But don’t take it from me. Take it from a farmer who spoke to the 100,000 people in the crowd on Saturday and left his audience on their feet in an emotional cry for more:

Solidarity between farmers and workers is an old and sacred movement. Family farmers, like the labor movement, value the dignity of having power over your work—of being empowered by your work. Like the labor movement, we value a constructive setting to raise a family. Like the labor movement, we value economic democracy. What is a union anyway, but working people coming together to improve our lives? That is what we are here to do. We reject this union-busting bill.

This is a farmer issue because our rural schools are getting decimated by this budget and they are the center of our rural communities. Fourteen of 44 rural teachers in my home will be getting pink slips because of this budget. This is a farmer’s issue because Scott Walker wants to hack Badger Care and 11,000 family farm members depend on Badger Care. It’s a farmer’s issue because we have been battling corporate power for more than a century. WE SAY NO! Public workers are our friends and our neighbors and our family members and we stand in solidarity with them. We know we are all in this together. We go up together, or we go down together.

Teamsters heading to Madison

@Brettross tells us

Teamsters local 120, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & the Minnesota Nurses Associaltion have filled two buses. Heading to Madison #wi

We expect Teamsters from all Wisconsin locals, as well as from Illinois and the Rail Conference, to be on their way to the state capital. The Teamsters semi is parked on the square, as it has been for the last few weeks, and Teamsters will hand out a new supply of "Stop the War on Workers" signs from the back of the truck. Local 344 will sell shirts and knit hats. Two weeks ago, the local had 100 T-shirts printed and sold them all in 12 minutes during the mammoth Feb. 26 rally.

Farmers will drive into the city at noon with a tractorcade to show their support for working families (we hope no one traveling to the rally gets stuck behind them). 

The homecoming parade of the Fab 14 senators who left Wisconsin to prevent the bill from being voted on should be the emotional high point of the day.

This could be the biggest rally in labor history.

Meanwhile, David Dayen at firedoglake gives us the 411 on the bill:

Wisconsin’s anti-public employee bill is signed, but the Secretary of State will take the maximum 10 days to publish the legislation, which means it won’t officially become law until March 25 at the earliest, and probably not until the following Monday, March 28. So there are a couple weeks of legal efforts to go here before we see if the bill will become law immediately...Just because this first round in court failed does not mean that the effort will ultimately be unsuccessful. In fact, experts have begun to give their opinion that the bill probably did violate those open meetings laws.

Today's Teamster News 03.12.11

Hundreds rally against 'corporate greed' in St. Louis  St. Louis Business Journal   ...Hundreds of union members, community organizers, St. Louis Democratic party officials and church leaders gathered ... on Friday afternoon ... (taking) ... particular issue with proposed legislation that would make Missouri a "right-to-work" state...
Wisconsin governor signs bill curbing unions; opponents fight on  Los Angeles Times   ...As Gov. Scott Walker signs a bill curbing collective bargaining for public workers, his opponents prepare for court battles and more demonstrations...
Who is the enemy of Kasich’s “shock and awe” budget strategy?  Plunderbund   ...it seems obvious that Kasich’s enemy is Ohio’s working and middle class citizens...
House passes union bill after emotional debate  Des Moines Register   ...The bill is expected to die in the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats...
NFL players' union decertifies; owners institute lockout  Los Angeles Times   ...By decertifying — dissolving itself as a union — the NFL Players Assn. has cleared the way for individual players to file antitrust lawsuits against the league...
Union workers at Cinetic Landis vote against contract proposal  (Local 992)  Herald-Mail   ...Letter informs employees the company might take its work to Europe...
MTD Union Accepts Amended Contract Offer, Won’t Strike  (Local 186)   Noozhawk.com   ...Negotiations have been ongoing for about a year...

Teamsters cheer on POWER walkers in WI

Teachers and students are marching 100 miles over three days from Milwaukee to  Madison. They'll arrive Saturday for the rally at the Statehouse. Here they're greeted in front of Teamsters' Local 200 by Secretary-Treasurer Tom Millonzi, President Tom Bennett, business agents Tom Benvenuto, Mike Gurich, Jim Seelow and Jeff Bandur.

Chris Fons, a Milwaukee Social Studies teacher, told the change.org blog,

We are marching to Madison to defend the rights of all workers to collectively bargain and to make sure that all students are guaranteed a free public education.

Read more about the march and follow the marchers' progress here.

WI Teamsters ready for monster rally Sat.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa declared the fight over workers’ rights has only just begun with Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker stripping govenrment workers of their collective bargaining rights.

Wisconsin Teamsters have been the vanguard in the battle against corporate-sponsored politicians who attack their constituents.

Rally Girl has been in touch with our Wisconsin locals and offers the following report:

Monster rallies are planned for Madison tomorrow, March 12. They will include tractor trailers, tractorcades and, of course, Teamsters. Members from Local 344 in Milwaukee will be out in full force.
Pat Tappa, secretary-treasurer of Local 344, had this to say:

We are organizing caravans of members to go to the rally tomorrow morning. We’ve ordered shirts and the International supplied us with signs and stickers. We’re doing what we can to help our brothers and sisters.

We are also working hard on the recall efforts. We intend to procure today official notices. We’re going to try to pass them out to as many people as we can tomorrow. We’re anticipating 100,000 to attend the rally, so we’re hoping we can get a lot of signatures.

Because of the events that took place, there is very little we can do to stop the majority opposing their will on the rest of us. I take my hat off to Dale Schultz, one of the only Republican senators with common sense. The best thing we can do right now is push this recall effort. I strongly recommend everyone seek out a petition and sign it. There are also petitions addressing the future possible recall of Gov. Walker. He’s ineligible for recall at this current time under state law, but the moment he becomes eligible, we’ll be ready.

Tappa encourages Teamsters and union supporters throughout Wisconsin to spend their Saturday at the rally in Madison. For those unable to attend but who want to show their support, Tappa suggests sending donations to Ian’s Pizza in Madison, which has been supplying protestors with pizza around the clock. Ian’s Pizza can be contacted here. 

Wayne Schultz, secretary-treasurer of Local 695 in Madison, said Wisconsin Teamsters are committed to the fight and will not give up on their public-sector brothers and sisters.

We’ve had two Teamster semis up on the square for the full three weeks and we’ve had Teamsters from our local and across the state at the Statehouse every day. We’re preparing and we’ll be up there in strength at tomorrow’s rally. Teamsters are coming from all over the state for the event tomorrow and it’s not just Teamsters—everyone is getting involved.

The bottom line is really about participation. We need to get people active and involved, whether it be attending rallies or writing to their representatives. It’s a shame that the state has come to this, considering Wisconsin’s history with organized labor.

Dave Reardon, secretary and treasurer of Teamsters Local 662 in Wausau, was profiled in the Wausau Daily Herald for his local’s involvement. Reardon told the Herald,

It would not surprise me if we had a couple thousand people from our local [at the rally].

Local 662 represents public works employees, nurses, emergency medical technicians, bus drivers and other workers. For Reardon, attending the rally is about showing solidarity and maintaining momentum on the recall effort.

“Are we discouraged? Temporarily, but we’re encouraged about the big picture,” Reardon said.

This just in: Walker offering compromise!!!

This just in from the Associated Press:

E-mails released by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's office show the Republican has told Senate Democrats he is open to compromise on aspects of his plan to end most collective bargaining rights for public employees.


Walker sent Democrats a list of possible proposed changes as recently as Sunday night. He says he'd be open to allowing bargaining on salary without any limit. Under his current proposal, workers would only be able to negotiate a new salary increase no greater than inflation.

He lists other possible areas that could be subject to collective bargaining, including mandatory overtime, performance bonuses and hazardous duty pay.

Walker has been under pressure from Republicans urging him to abandon his sinking ship. Walker's approval ratings are slipping and Republican senators are looking at recall votes.

dane101 offers some insight:

The potential compromises listed in the article are possibly the result of two meetings that were detailed today in a statement released by Senator Bob Jauch. Based on the MJS report that these were "put together on Sunday evening" it is unclear if they were delivered to the Wisconsin Democrats before the Governor, Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, and Senate Leader Scott Fitzgerald held a contentious press conference on Monday.

The end result of that press conference was a deeper rift between the Walker Administration and the 14 Wisconsin Senators. According to the statement by Jauch: "Yesterday Governor Walker said that he had been working day and night to find a solution to the issue. The fact is that he has held more press conferences blasting Democrats than there have been meetings. It took his Administration 18 days before a request was made for a meeting."

Today's Teamster News 03.07.11

At TN Capitol, 3,000 rally for teachers' voices to be heard  (Local 519 counted 6,000) The Tennessean   ...More than 3,000 people packed downtown Saturday to protest legislative efforts to end collective bargaining by Tennessee teachers...
Recall efforts underway for 14 senators from both parties  The Daily Cardinal   ... six are Democrats and eight are Republicans...
Isthmus, Wisconsin Associated Press sue Gov. Scott Walker over access to emails  The Isthmus   ..."The governor said he had gotten more than 8,000 emails as of Feb. 17, with 'the majority' urging him to 'stay firm' on his budget repair bill," says Isthmus News Editor Bill Lueders...
Labor Organizing Jumps in the Wake of Wisconsin  firedoglake  
...Commentators from across the political spectrum have come to the conclusion that Walker is sunk...
OSU-Wisconsin game becomes SB5 rally point  Columbus Dispatch   ...A group of about 150 protesters rallied near the Schottenstein Center today, opposing the state's proposed collective-bargaining overhaul...
Harry Wilson Tapped By Teamsters To Rescue Ailing Trucking Company And Union Jobs  City Hall News   ...Teamsters recently invited Wilson to help restructure the ailing trucking and freight company, YRC Worldwide, in what they billed as an effort to help save thousands of unionized jobs and prevent the company from going under...
Strike shuts Aiken plant Aiken Standard   ...The Owens-Corning plant in Aiken has shut down, following a strike by workers with the Teamsters Local 509 that began Friday...

VIDEO: WI and OH, stopping the war on workers

Frustrated with the mainstream media's failure to pay attention to what's going on in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and throughout the country? Watch New Left Media's videos. They do a great job covering our cause. Here's what they say about themselves:

New Left Media is Chase Whiteside, Erick Stoll, and a camera. We are currently students at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. 

Fab 14 thank you video

We can't wait to see it. We understand from brother Steve Nelson that our camera guy has been working away recording thank you messages from Wisconsin citizens to the Fab 14 (the courageous Democratic senators who left the state rather than vote for Koch whore Gov. Scott Walker's insane budget bill). The messages will be posted on youtube tonight.

From the photos it looks as if quite a lot of people are protesting in Madison for -- what is it, Day 22? And it looks as if quite a lot of people are saying thank you. Unfortunately, we can't share the photos just yet because of some sort of Internets security certificate error (we're blaming the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for now.)

Today's Teamster News 03.04.11

Wis. governor warns of layoffs, talks to Democrats  Associated Press   ...Republican Gov. Scott Walker and absent Democrats remained in a standoff over a budget balancing bill that would also strip public workers of their collective bargaining rights...
Wisconsin Recall Efforts Off to Strong Start  firedoglake   ...they have signed up over 3,000 people from Wisconsin who want to get involved in a recall effort in the past 24 hours. 1,300 have pledged to canvas, and nearly 2,000 have pledged to contribute money...
Anti-Union Bills Introduced In At Least 12 States This Year  Wall Street Journal   ...Lawmakers in Florida, Idaho, Missouri, Tennessee and South Carolina also have introduced bills to reduce union power or make it more difficult for them to sign up workers. There is talk of similar measures even in labor-friendly California and New York...
Speaker Bosma ready to start fining missing state Democrats  Evansville Courier & Press   ...House Speaker Brian Bosma's decision, announced Thursday on the floor of the House, is his latest effort to make the Democrats' absence as uncomfortable as possible...
State workers protest as LePage pitches plan to lawmakers  Bangor Daily News   ...Saying they are not to blame for Maine’s budget woes, state employees and retirees called upon lawmakers to reject proposed changes to Maine’s pension and retirement system...
A retired Teamster watches labor unrest in Columbus and gears up for a fight The Cleveland Plain Dealer   ...Ohio's labor unions are gearing up to make Wisconsin look tame...
Va. transit workers, Veolia make deal  (Local 570) Washington Post   ...After months of tense negotiations, a contract agreement was reached late Wednesday between Loudoun County Transit workers and Veolia Transportation...

Teamster, Wisco senator, hero

One of many signs supporting the 14

Fourteen Democratic senators from Wisconsin have put a face on the war on workers. They voluntarily left their state in a show of solidarity that has captured the attention of the nation. The senators oppose a budget proposal that, if passed, would end collective bargaining for state employees in Wisconsin. Dave Hansen, a former Green Bay Department of Public Works employee and 20-year Teamster, is one of those 14. On the 16th day of the struggle, Hansen took time to talk with the Teamsters Union from an undisclosed location in Illinois, where he has hope that America’s middle class will prevail in this 21st century fight between corporate greed and working Americans.

Q: How are you holding up?

We’re all holding up pretty well. It’s been a challenge for all 14 of us to stay united. Ultimately, though, we’ve decided that when we go back, we will go back as a unit. It has been tough to be away from home for a couple weeks. I miss seeing my grandkids and being with my family.

Q: Are you in one stationary location or are you moving throughout the state of Illinois?

We have had to move. We were at a hotel and we moved to the residence of a senate family member. Tea Party members tried to make a big deal about our presence there, so we relocated to give that family member privacy. We’re doing our best to stay united in spirit, but have separated somewhat physically so we can get our message out without being descended upon by Tea Party activists.

Madison today

Q: How often do you talk with your fellow Wisconsin senators?

We are talking daily with senators from Wisconsin. There has been at least one meeting on the border to try and iron things out. I really do believe there are some Republican senators who what to vote with us. Those senators have, for many years, supported the rights of workers to bargain at the table. This hasn’t been a partisan issue in the past, but Gov. Walker has made it a partisan thing. We’ve been trying to negotiate with Gov. Walker, but he is unwilling to negotiate.

Q: The heart of this battle is over workers’ rights. Are there any other issues that are playing an important role?

Yes. What we’re really dealing with is one person controlling the legislative branch. I think there’s going to be more outrage as $1.5 billion gets cut from public education. The governor is capping a raise on taxes. He’s taking away all the money from the middle class, but telling them to fend for themselves.

Q: You have given a voice to working people across this country. Do you consider yourself a hero?

We’re not the heroes—the people are the heroes. The real, extraordinary efforts are the rallies and protests that are going on in Madison and across the nation. I just want to thank all the people who have come out to defend the rights of working Americans. I really respect all the people back home.

Madison today

Q: What, for you, has been the most difficult part of this battle and the easiest part of this battle?

The hardest part has been being out of Wisconsin and out of Green Bay. I missed some really cool things my constituents have done and I’ve missed my grandkids’ basketball tournaments. The neat thing is the 14 Democratic senators have really gotten to know each other. We all have different philosophies, but amazingly, we’ve stayed together and we will go back together.

Q: How has your experience as a Teamster influenced your tenure as a state senator and how is it impacting your views during this battle?

I see that some of the hardest working people are being vilified in this fight—I know. I worked as a sanitation employee for 20 years and we busted our butts. I believe in the working men and women of this country and I believe they deserve a place at the table. As a Teamster, I worked hard and I learned the importance of organized labor. I think union membership is a valuable part of what we are as Americans. It’s about living the American dream.

Q: What do you think this current movement says about America?

It shows that some people are trying to take us in the wrong direction, but the great majority of people in our state and across this nation believe in what we’re doing. In Wisconsin, we have one model and that’s forward. Union members are important consumers, citizens and taxpayers, too. Unfortunately, we’re in a tough position being in the minority in both the house and the senate. The Supreme Court is conservative and the governor is conservative beyond belief. Our governor is more interested in taking care of billionaires than people in middle and lower income groups and I think the American people realize that isn’t right. As time goes on, I think more and more people are moving to the side of working men and women.

Q: In 20 years, when this battle is hopefully over, how do you want to be remembered?

This is about doing the right thing. To me, it’s about standing up for what you believe in, even if there are some consequences. It’s about fighting for the American dream. When I address young people, I tell them to believe in the power of their dreams. We have to give people the opportunity to have their dreams succeed and that’s why I’m in this fight. In 20 years, I’m going to say that I made the right decision. Sometime in your life, you have to fight for something even if you don’t succeed immediately.

Q: What can working people across the country do to support you and the Wisconsin 14?

We have to change the landscape of the state senate. We have to protect the people who are fighting the good fight. We need to build on the current 14 and put some common sense back into government. Everyone has a voice and people who support us need to show that voice in the polls.
Q: What do you want to say to your 1.4 million Teamster brothers and sisters who are watching as the events in Wisconsin unfold?

Once you’re a Teamster, you’re always a Teamster. I want all union members and all working families out there to know that organized labor is in it for the right reasons. They are there to protect you and we must continue to grow and fight.