Roomin' House Blues

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi made it clear   that her judicial order  for officials not to implement the new  Wisconsin collective bargaining law meant what it said, Tuesday, and said defiance risks sanctions. But today Wisconsin's Governor was back at implementing the controversial law past under dubious circumstances.   Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller said of the Governor and the Republicans,  "They seem incapable of hearing people who say they are wrong,"  "I cannot understand the legal rationale of attorneys who are apparently advising this administration to ignore this order for whatever reason," Democratic Sheboygan County D.A. Joe DeCecco 's. He added that, "The very fabric of a just society is based on the rule of law. We don't have the option of which law we will obey and we don't have the option of which court order we'll ignore." " They're in contempt of court already," Uni...

"I've got 5,000-6,00 layoff notices ready", Governor Walker candidly said to a reporter when he thought he was talking to his billionaire supporter, David Koch.  Since that admission, as the show down over collective bargaining has continued, he has prepared layoff warning to 1,500 union public employee, as blackmail, trying to force Democratic lawmakers out of hiding.  Democratic Senators skipped the state to prevent a quorum for a vote that could lead to stripping collective bargaining rights from public employees.  Union members and their supporters have been using their constitutional rights or freedom of association, assembly and speech in mass protests in the state capitol for three weeks, even receiving donations of Pizza orders for the sit in crew from Egypt. Unions have agreed to cuts in benefits and wages but are standing firm to protect collective bargaining.  The Governor layoff threat raises an interesting issue. He cl...

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...