Roomin' House Blues

I have received email from the Washington State Democrats urging we join in writing to  Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna telling him to stop his plans for busting unions in our state.  I told McKenna that as an attorney he should know that there are a long string of Supreme Court cases protecting unions again union busting under the first amendment. I told him I used to think he was "okay" but now I think he's been brewing too long for a tea party.   Information from Washington State Democrats below:   Tell Rob McKenna: Not in Washington!     Dear Joseph, The assault on public employee unions is an organized campaign by right-wing Republicans. What’s happened in Wisconsin is only the beginning.  State legislatures in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, and Idaho have all proposed measures similar to the ones in Wisconsin.  The attack on public employees has even spread to Washington State . (1) Attorney General Rob McKenna is ...

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement in support of the Wisconsin Bishops stand in favor of workers in Wisconsin whose rights to collective bargaining are under assault. The press release is below.  SCCB News Release 11-038 February 24, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE USCCB Chairman Supports Wisconsin Bishops on the Rights of Workers WASHINGTON (February 24, 2011)—Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, expressed his “support for and solidarity” with the Wisconsin bishops’ statement on the rights of workers.             In a February 23 letter to Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki of Milwaukee, Bishop Blaire wrote, “You and our brother bishops in Wisconsin are offering a timely reminder of what the Church teaches on the rights and duties of workers, including the right to form an...

For over 50 years Wisconsin has lead the nation in labor peace between public employees and government officials. In 1959 Wisconsin became the first state to recognize collective bargaining for it's public employees.  Today the Governor of the State of Wisconsin has his boot on the throat of public workers and he says "stay put like your supposed to." Wisconsin's public employees earn over 11% less than private sector equivalent job.  Adjusted for education, the difference is greater.  With fringe benefits added, private employment is still better. If you could make a case that because it's tax payer money, or out of a sense of public service, the workers should work for less, well they are already doing that.  they want to preserve the right to collective bargaining not so much for great advantages financially, but because it grants them as way to address working conditions. Now the State of Wisconsin is retaliating agains...