If you haven’t heard or seen what is going on in Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio… you either aren’t paying attention or don’t care. In either case, you really should!
What is going on in Wisconsin and Ohio is about as blantant of an attack on collective bargaining rights there is. Hiding under the self proclaimed banner of fiscal responsibility, they are using that as a cloak to go beyond working on their state’s budget. They are using it to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of public employees. That right to which they use to bargain not just wages and benefits, but health and safety, working conditions, the ability to represent themselves and much more.
They don’t want them to have any say, any voice, any involvement. It is as simple as that… but then again, is it?
Here in Michigan, these same rights are under attack. Although not as blatant and in your face as what is going on in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere… your rights are being whittled away as we speak. What is happening here in our state is that they are flying it low and under the radar.
There are over 30 pieces of legislation that have been or will be considered by Committee with the plan to be pushed through the Senate and House on the way to the Governor’s desk. (Follow this link to see what is being considered and its status: http://www.miaflcio.org/legislative-action/legislative-report.html)
Bit by bit, they are looking to take away your rights. Your right to belong to a union, your right to a have voice in your workplace, your right to a safe workplace, your right to grieve a wrong, your right to pursue fair and just wages and benefits.
What they are looking to accomplish to employees in public sector unions is what they are looking to do to employees in private sector unions.
You… we… cannot afford to not care what is happening around us.
In an effort to help you stay informed about what is happening, we are attempting to keep up to date information on our website. By clicking on this link: http://www.uswalocal12075.com/uswa_web_page_048.htm you will have a quick and easy access to information both general in nature and by each state. I implore you to take the time to look around and see what is going on around us.
We have to be very concerned about what is coming down around us. That concern needs to be translated to action. We cannot wait because if we do… the attack that is so immiment will have passed us by and the rights we enjoy today will have been taken away.
USW Local 12075 President Kent Holsing
