The leader of Wisconsin’s state employees says labor is not “rolling over” for Governor Scott Walker. AFSCME Council 24 Executive Director Marty Beil says labor in Wisconsin will be watching Governor Scott Walker closely, particularly when it comes to his goal of producing 250,000 new jobs. “We want to see overt actions that the Walker administration takes,” says Biel. “And not just flipping burger jobs, but quality jobs that pay people decent wages and benefits.”
Their Democratic allies in the legislature are in the minority this session, and Walker has said ‘nothing is off the table’ when it comes to negotiating with public employee unions. “He’s the governor now, the ball’s in his court,” says Biel. “But . . . we’re not rolling over here.” Beil says Walker was “a bully” with employees of Milwaukee County, but that if he wants to bully state employees, “he’s picked the wrong people to bully.”
