WI / Wear Red on Tuesdays

Dear Iowa Peace and Justice Friends, below is a letter from NEA President Dennis and a list of WI Peace and Justice members.  It would be great to show your support by sending a card or a phone or email message to our colleagues.  They need our support.  Life is not good for them and my personal opinion is that the media is not presenting a fair picture.  Roberta Rosheim was in Madison on Saturday and said it was a calm but powerful gathering for bargaining rights.  CA is sending a plane load on Wed - Fri, Davenport had a presence this weekend, some of us eastern Iowans plan to go there on Friday.

How about promoting the wearing of red...easy to do!!!  every Tuesday!  Wear Red for Public Ed!

Below is a message from the communications team on the ground in Madison that we are sharing for your reference:

--This protest is about public sector employees retaining a voice in their profession and Wisconsin's future. The proposed legislation strips away worker rights and destroys the collaborative partnerships that have been established between labor and management in Wisconsin. It's not about pay and benefits, pensions and health care.

--What is happening right now in Wisconsin is historic. Tens of thousands of citizens - unprecedented numbers - are gathering and speaking out to show their support for the state's public servants. They want to voice support for the third grade teacher who stays late to help a student with math - for the nurses who work every day to care for patients - for the firefighters who keep us safe -- and for the snow plow drivers who plow streets through the night so their neighbors can get to work in the morning. These public workers are on the front-lines everyday to support us - and they should have a say in their profession.

--The people of Wisconsin are asking the Governor and legislature to hear them out - and work with them to find bipartisan solutions that will address Wisconsin's challenges. Silencing the voices of public sector employees by busting up their unions is not a going to help Wisconsin move forward - and it will only divide the people of this state.
_________

Because we know everyone is looking for a way to lend their voice to our collective fights,  here are three things you can do right now: 

o Have members sign the petition on Education Votes website: http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/nationalpetition/ 

o Ask members to "Wear Red for Ed" to support public education beginning Tuesday, February 22nd , and every Tuesday this spring

o Email information about local or state solidarity actions to campaignhub@nea.org 

 

I encourage you to share this message with other Association leaders and members.
Again, this is a national fight for working people. We're leaders in this fight. Let's get this note out widely, take action together, support each other. We're going to win this fight.

In solidarity,
Dennis (NEA president)

Wisconsin

There is  an all out assault on the collective bargaining rights of education employees, but think about this situation.  If it can happen in Wisconsin, it can happen in Iowa.  In fact, legislation has already been introduced that would drastically change our bargaining rights and require public employees to contribute no less than 30% toward health care costs.  This is all in addition to the proposals to gut pre-school and provide zero percent allowable growth.

Yesterday 30,000 people protested at the Capitol in Madison.  Check it out at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41644074/ns/us_news-life/

Ladies and gentlemen, it will serve us well if we pay attention to this assault on collective bargaining rights.  Similar legislation has been introduced in Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee that will drastically alter teachers and public employees rights to bargain collectively. 

Tonight’s Ed Schultz Show on MSNBC at 9 p.m. will originate from Madison.  His entire show last night was devoted to the issues in Wisconsin and the action being taken by your colleagues there.  Many public schools are closed because of the number of teachers who have called in sick to demonstrate at the state capitol in an attempt to stop the legislation proposed by their new governor.  NEA President Dennis Van Roekel will be on the Andrea Mitchell Show 2/17 on MSNBC at 1:30 to also talk about the situation.  Most of you will be in class at that time, but I’m sure it will be available for viewing on the internet later.

  Our collective bargaining bill has been in force since 1975 and is now taken for granted.  It will serve us all well to pay attention to what is going on in Wisconsin (in fact Wisconsin was the first state to pass a law to allow collective bargaining for public employees).  If legislation gutting collective bargaining rights of teachers in Wisconsin passes, be assured that similar legislation will be introduced and passed all around the country.  

Once again, collective bargaining allows us to bargain about salaries, insurance, leaves, transfer and recall rights, staff reduction procedures, vacations, holidays, and other terms of employment in Iowa.  Be aware of what’s happening.  If this crops up in Iowa, we will support and action.  For now, pay attention to the news.  We hope it’s not a glimpse into our future, but a wake up call to define the next election.

Written by Coy Marquardt, ECUU Director, edited by Nancy Porter

Rally to Support Wisconsin Workers and Stop Walker's Attacks

Scott Walker is trying to push through a bill that will strip workers of their rights to bargain and negotiate their working conditions. He's doing this under the guise as a "budget repair bill." He's even saying he'll use the National Guard to stop any protest. Contact your legislator and tell them to stop this bill. Now is the time to stand up people. Now is the time to make your voice heard before Walker takes your voice away!

Please join us at the Capitol in Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. to urge our legislators to vote NO on Walker's "Budget Repair Bill." Come as soon as you can during those times and invite everyone you know (dress warm). Walker's bill hurts our families, our schools, our public services and our economy. The vote is likely Thursday so the time to act is NOW. To learn more about how the bill hurts Wisconsin and our workers, see www.weac.org. If you can't be there, please call or email your legislators to vote NO!