The Racine Labor Center hosted what was billed as a Town Hall meeting on the Governor’s budget repair bill, and a chance for all opinions, though opposition reigned supreme.
State Representative Cory Mason, taking time out from his rally efforts in Madison, called it “the worst anti-worker legislation in state history.”
Former State Senator John Lehman, who was replaced by Van Wanggaard, said Wisconsin is ground zero right now on worker rights, and the country is watching. He anticipates similar “hijinx” will probably be seen in other states.
Local 43 Secretary-Treasurer Wes Gable, representing 143 employees, said this is about union busting, not the budget. “We’ve taken cuts, freezes, furlough days, so for them to sit up here and to act like we haven’t helped the budget is a bunch of bull.”
Sheetmetal union worker Joe Hurley said “there’s a whole lot of people out there wishing they’d voted differently last November,” while adding: “there will be a price to pay if they ramrod this legislation down our throats.”
Tom Karkow-WRJN
