Wisconsin Governor Walker continues to push his anti-worker
agenda as he refuses to negotiate. Educators in Wisconsin have
repeatedly stated that this fight is not about pay and benefits - it is
about the right to be heard.
This week, Governor Walker showed his true colors - an ideological agenda to silence workers. In a taped conversation with someone posing as his supporter, billionaire David Koch, the Governor bragged about using layoff threats to bully and intimidate working families into submission.
While the nation seems to have its eyes and ears on Wisconsin, attacks are happening all across the country. Teachers, school support staff, nurses, firefighters, and middle class workers and families are under relentless attack in state after state by an unprecedented, well-funded, and coordinated national campaign. But, as the fight continues, workers and their supporters are standing up and demanding to be heard. Rallies with unprecedented turnout have been held in states across the nation. Read about rallies around the nation.
The labor movement in this country has been responsible for safety standards, the minimum wage, fair employment practices, and more. For educators, our collective bargaining rights allow us to raise concerns about class size, school safety, and other important teaching and learning conditions. To express your support for workers' rights across the country, please sign our national petition and follow the latest news about the attacks on our rights.
Tell the Senate to Stand Strong against House-Passed Education Cuts
The House of Representatives has passed a "continuing resolution" (CR)
for the rest of the current fiscal year (FY 2011). The draconian
education cuts contained in the House CR would dash the dreams of
countless American students, put additional strain on state budgets
already cut to the bone, and stall the engine that drives our economy.
Thousands of students would lose Title I services and Head Start
slots; local tax burdens would increase as education costs are shifted
to state and local levels; millions of students would lose Pell Grant
assistance; and thousands of education jobs would be lost. See how much your state would lose.
See how your representative voted.
But, the fight is not over! Congress returns on February 28 with a looming deadline, as the current CR is set to expire on March 4. The House will have to negotiate with the Senate and the President in order to craft a CR that can be enacted into law. Your voice is critical as negotiations continue - particularly to tell the Senate to stand firm against the cuts.
Take Action TODAY: Tell the Senate to reject the House-passed education funding cuts and to invest in education for our nation's future.
Cheers and Jeers
Cheers to:
The American public, who, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll strongly oppose laws to take away collective bargaining and silence workers' voices and rights.
Jeers to:
The 235 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
who voted against the interests of children, educators, and our nation
when they passed the full-year continuing resolution (CR) for the rest
of this fiscal year. The CR contains draconian cuts to programs like
Title I, IDEA, Pell Grants, and Head Start that will crush the dreams
of millions of students and take our nation backward.