Unionists across America felt the pain when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a March 11 law designed to crush state-employee unions by limiting their power to bargain and collect union dues.

But unions, including UUP and NYSUT, are standing strong behind Wisconsin public-sector workers—and they have not given up the fight. Activists there have vowed to use the setback as a rallying cry to unseat Walker and his Republican cohorts in the 2012 election and regain their bargaining rights. The Huffington Post reported that the backlash has already begun; more than 20,000 nonunion workers signed on as members of Working America, an AFL-CIO-affiliated organization for nonunion laborers, in a show of solidarity. Activists are also working on setting up recall elections for eight Republicans who voted for the law.

UUP LENDS SUPPORT

UUPers have made a dedicated effort to show solidarity with unionists in the Badger State and other states where public employee unions are under fire, such as Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Idaho.

“Organized labor is under attack and we will line up shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and brothers across the country to fight these transparent union-busting attempts,” said UUP President Phil Smith.

UUPers wore stickers with slogans like “We Are Wisconsin,” and “We are Ohio” during a march and joint advocacy event with SUNY and CUNY students, and NYSUT and Professional Staff Congress members in Albany March 15.

In February, UUP’s Executive Board passed a resolution supporting Wisconsin public employees, stating that “UUP sends a special message of affirmation to our Wisconsin colleagues working in public higher education institutions.”

ON THE FRONT LINE

Ed Quinn, UUP’s membership development officer, spent three days in February in Madison, where he stood with Wisconsin public-sector employees fighting for their union rights. Quinn, who protested inside the state Capitol at times, said he was inspired by what he saw.

“As the cars went past us, they would beep in the rhythm of the chant ‘Tell me what Democracy looks like,’” he wrote in one of a series of e-mails from the scene. “Of course we answered ‘This is what Democracy looks like.’ Even taxi cabs were doing it.”

Smith and members from the Oswego and Upstate Medical University chapters took part in a March 3 rally for Wisconsin workers in Syracuse. UUP Vice President for Professionals John Marino spoke at a Feb. 26 rally in Albany to support Wisconsin workers. Secretary Eileen Landy, who took part in a solidarity rally in Washington, D.C., earlier in the month, was there, along with dozens of other UUP members from Albany, New Paltz and other chapters. Vice President for Academics Fred Floss went to two rallies in the Buffalo area Feb. 26.

— Michael Lisi