This
rally of ~300 took place on the steps of city hall in Colorado Springs, February
22, 2001 along with hundreds around the nation.
Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker has introduced legislation of remove
all collective bargaining rights of the public worker's there.
Walker's campaign got $43,000 from the Koch's PAC during the election.
That was 2nd, behind the $43,125 he got from the developers.
Koch's PAC also pulled a corrupt maneuver to skirt campaign finance laws.
They gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association, who spent $65,000
on independent expenditures to support Walker.
The RGA also spent an amazing $3.4 million on TV ads and mailers attacking
Walker's opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
The governorship was bought outright and everything Walker has done since
is a quid pro quo repayment to the Koch Bothers who ALSO spent $6,500 in support
of 16 GOP state legislative candidates, who each won his or her election.
FACT: State workers are paid 3.7% less than private employees according the
Economic Policy Institute.
This is true even though 54% of state and local public workers hold at least
a four year degree compared to 35% of private-sector workers.
Those with a college degree are paid 25% less than private workers.
Health insurance accounts for 6.3% to 8.3% of private-benefits and 11.2% of
public worker's benefits, which does NOT make up the difference.
When Walker got in office there was a $120 million surplus according to the
state's equivalent to the CBO.
He gave the richest people a $140 million tax break and declared a $137 million
deficit which he wants the unions to make up.
The union has agreed to an 8% pay cut but walker rejected it so he can try
to bust the union for the Koch Brothers who funded his campaign.
epi.3cdn.net/8808ae41b085032c0b_8um6bh5ty.pdf
The GOP told the Dems to be there to vote on the bill at 5PM BUT took the
vote BEFORE they arrived.
youtube.com/watch?v=eyRhJZQYTkg
Freedom of assembly and association is indispensable to self-government. Assembly
is a public act by a group to convey a message; association is often an element
of assembly, but it also pertains to the private right of individuals to form
an organization or community based on their own vision.
The Supreme Court has recognized a constitutional right of association (NAACP
v. Alabama (1958) and linked it to the rights of speech and assembly and also
to the implied constitutional right of privacy (Griswold v. Connecticut (1965). naacpvalabamaat50.org
Jeremy
Kroto IAFF local 5
Kathlen
Ricker, chair of the El Paso County Democratic Party
Chuck
Bader, VP of the Colorado AFL-CIO speaks along with the president of
the local 321 of the Postal Workers union, Richard Lairscey and others,
in support of worker's rights in Wisconsin and America.