It was moving, inspiring, and dizzying. It allowed me to be present at what may come to be recognized as a turning point in U.S. history, a moment when the three-decade tide sweeping over and drowning the middle class was finally stemmed. It is the North American version of what’s sweeping the Arabic-speaking world. It’s a case of the knife reaching the bone. It is the uprising of the people of Madison, Wisc., and the U.S. against the corporatist leeches whose wanton greed has hobbled the economy and spirit of the U.S.
Last week I was contacted by my union, EAA, asking if I could go to Madison for a labor action that would probably be a once-in-a-generation opportunity. I had just gotten sick, but by the next day, I felt I could go. I joined 160 others from 39 other unions on a chartered flight to the current epicenter of the ongoing civil rights struggles of the U.S. I didn’t have a very good sense of what was transpiring before going. Now, I know why. The corporate-owned media, supposedly liberal-biased, is barely covering this critical issue.
The governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, supported by Republican majorities in both houses of the state legislature, is pushing a bill in the legislature to eliminate unions. Of course that’s not what these corporate lackeys are saying. They’re claiming it’s about saving money. Really? But the unions, fully aware of the difficult times we are in, have agreed to ALL the financial concessions asked of them. What the bill under consideration would do is to eliminate “collective bargaining,” i.e. the right of workers to deal with their employer as one negotiating team, that being the union. This ability is what enabled the building of a middle class starting in the post-Depression era. Now, the richest want even more and have systematically dismantled unions so that they represent fewer people today than ever, weakening both unionized, represented workers and others. You see the decent wages and benefits that unions secure also help others receive the same levels of compensation, exactly what the fat-cats DON’T want.
Right now, the only thing stopping passage of this bill is the fact that all 14 of Wisconsin’s Democratic State Senators have left the state to deny the 19 Republicans a quorum (60 percent, or 20 senators, are required on budgetary matters), blocking passage of this bill. It turns out Abraham Lincoln once jumped from a second-story window to deny quorum but was caught and returned before long. The absolutist statements of the governor, his and his partisans’ total unwillingness to negotiate on the matter, make them seem more like the nominally elected, but in reality despotic, leaders now being toppled in the Arab world. While the State Assembly considered some of the proposed amendments to the bill (I heard part of the deliberations while in the capitol, where they are audible outside of chambers too), none of those I heard passed. The Democrats presented them, spoke in support of them (maximum 10 minutes), and then they were voted down, mostly by 50-something to 30-something margins. And this was done through a marathon, day-and-night session as if a few days would make a difference. The real reason is to pass this horrible proposal before people become fully aware of it. Get the picture?
This cross-country action took 43.5 hours from the time our plane took off in LAX to the time we landed back at the same airport. Upon arrival in Madison, everyone got settled in, then reassembled a couple of blocks from Madison’s capitol building. We then proceeded to and entered the building to a loud and incredibly grateful reception from the people who had been staying in the building for days or had come to support them. The chant of “thank you” was profoundly moving as a path was cleared through the center of the rotunda for us to march through. Throughout my time there, I was frequently moved to tears by the emotion and profundity attached to those two words as they were spoken to those of us from LA repeatedly. People’s livelihoods and families are at stake.
The capitol rotunda was dizzying—the intense solidarity, the emotion, the hundreds of signs hanging from columns and balconies. (Please see the picture and a sampling of the tremendously varied, often very creative, signs people had made and were carrying.) Numerous signs reminded people that this was a PEACEFUL demonstration. No one was going to be duped by provocations. Such an attempt had been made, unsuccessfully, by Tea Party counter-demonstrators (pathetic in number compared to the tens of thousands who had demonstrated against the bill over the previous weekend).
The dedication of the students, largely from the local University of Wisconsin campus, had effectively set up a functioning “city” within the capitol. There was a first aid station. There were quiet areas for parents who’d brought infants with them. Of course there was a food station. The most interesting story to come out on the food front is about a pizza joint called “ian’s.” Of course when I first saw this, I thought “Armenian?” but quickly realized it was just a first name. This restaurant has received so many donations to supply pizza to the strikers that they’re now giving free pizza to all comers (reports had it that the money comes from all 50 states and 14 different countries, with 28,000 slices served last Wednesday)! The stacks of full pizza boxes in the capitol rotunda were impressive. Interesting, though something not being added to my “favorite pizza toppings” list was mac-n-cheese pizza! Also on the food front, bratwursts were being cooked and served free to all comers across the street from the capitol building. I finally got to taste one of those famous sausages!
Inspiring is the variety of support from “future doctors” to farmers, from the AARP to the Sierra Club, from huge unions (AFSCME, SEIU) to small (a pilots’ associations), from private to public sector, and, most importantly, from those immediately impacted—teachers, municipal employees—to those currently spared—firefighters, law enforcement—divide-and-conquer tactics have failed. Also interesting are the stories of law enforcement folks (brought in from all over the state) shedding their uniforms at the end of their shifts to help their union brothers and sisters, not to mention all the pictures they were taking (and this was not the type of photography we’re used to from demonstrations at Turkish embassies and consulates). Clearly their photographic intent was supportive of the actions. Also inspiring was the support I saw from Oklahoma, Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Michigan, in addition to our presence from Los Angeles.
Gov. Scott Walker has managed to unify otherwise disparate, often bickering, groups and interests. It’s worth hearing him toady-up to right-wing billionaire David Koch (www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBnSv3a6Nh4). He was recorded by the BEAST’s Ian Murphy pretending to be the arch-conservative money-bags. You’ll remember that the Koch brothers were also big funders of the effort to overturn California’s climate change law in last November’s election. And, it’s not just big money types who are behind this conspiracy to destroy American prosperity. Some of the Republican legislators have privately confided that they are under TREMENDOUS pressure from “higher up” to follow Walker’s policies. I got the impression they might even have been threatened with serious consequences if they didn’t toe the line.
It’s clear this is a political power grab that must be stopped at all costs. Already, there’s a Utah-based effort to recall the Democratic Senators. Unfortunately, for now, the good guys have chosen not to pursue the recall-election-path against the Republicans. It seems foolish to not do so. But Walker is safe for a year anyway. Based on Wisconsin law, a recall cannot be put in motion until one year after someone takes office. Then, in one month, signatures have to be gathered, equal in number to 25 percent of the number of votes cast for the office in question in the previous election.
While Armenians in unions may not number large today, we were a huge presence in the 19th century. Unions were the avenue to a decent, dignified living from many of our earliest immigrants. They also enabled, as I’ve already written, the creation of the middle class where most Armenians firmly exist—socio-economically speaking. Plus, in recent years, Armenians working at car washes and as taxi drivers have needed support against their tormentors. Unions are the best solution to their problems. It’s very important that we support unions in their struggle against the forces that would create a third-world country in the United States. Please engage in this battle. Your, and all our, futures are at stake.
***
“Cold, but not as cold as Walker’s heart”
“Retired, but not too tired to fight for workers’ rights”
“Compassion, not union bashin’”
“Kill the bill”
“14 have true grit”
“I support the Wisconsin 14”
“Sanitation workers say this bill is garbage”
“Small business owner for workers rights”
“Walker + Wisconsin= brain drain”
“Walker is a weasel, not a badger”
“This bill is so bad my Republican husband agrees with Rachel Maddow”
“90-year-old rabble-rouser, ex-teacher”
“Where’s Robin Hood when you need him?”
“Walk in our shoes, don’t tread on our rights”
“Farm boy for workers rights”
“Wisconsin in solidarity with Libya”
Garen Yegparian
Latest posts by Garen Yegparian (see all)
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ANYBODY KNOWS THAT THE UNIONS ARE THE MOST CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND HAVE HELPED DESTROY FREE ENTERPRISE IN THE USA. UNIONS PAY PEOPLE $75.00 PER HOUR TO DO NOTHING. NOW THAT’S PRODUCTIVE! TEACHER’S UNIONS ARE THE REASON JOHNNY CAN’T READ.
Garen’s article is another one that has no connection to Armenians. It is proof positive that union thugs from other states are coming to Wisconsin, where they have no business, to foment trouble.
Please notice that he doesn’t mention the outrageous protest signs equating Gov. Walker with Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini. How about the fake medical excuses being handed out to teachers who were striking illegally.
Local public employee unions are draining/have drained the treasuries of this country dry, even while the federal budget is awash in red ink. The continued deficit spending is the culprit, and public unions, who have their stranglehold on the democrat party, are the cause.
Why is this news? Why is this personal commentary worthy of being in an Armenian issues related newspaper?
This commentary is his view, it is totally one sided and i did not get much out of it other than he is staunchly pro-union. OK, that’s fine, we are blessed to live in a country that you can express your views without fear of reprisal. I like reading articles that give explainations of both sides of the story with a respectful and Christian tone. This was not one.
Wisconsin Armenians have a great relationship with our legislature (Senate and Assembly, Republican and Democrat). This article is not helpful to our efforts to keep genocide recogntion on the public agenda.
Let me say I’m a Wisconsin resident and that I’m neither a Republican or Democratic. My message to Mr. Yegparian is very simple. You and your outside union agitators get out of our state and let the elected officials who have remained in Madison do their job. The union influence on the Democratic Party has done nothing but raise my taxes. Governor Walker was elected to balance the budget, something the Democrats have failed to do.
Fact: My Wisconsin is broke. So is your native California, Garen. Huge deficits and unfunded pension plans.
Unions and others hijack state spending and drive us broke. I support unions, but not in every case. They pay off the politicians who then give them big benefits. That is wrong.
We don’t need you in Wisconsin and we don’t want you. You’re from California and you want to tell us how to run our state government? That’s classic. Stay home and fix your own sorry state.
Sorry Garen – It appears you are doing nothing but providing “LIP SERVICE” to the cowardly liars from the democratic party………..the VERY SAME party of Pelosi, Hillary and Obama – who have proven that they are on the WRONG side of the economy, the wrong side of the voters (November elections ring a bell?) and on the WRONG side of foreign policy, as well as being on the wrong side
of humanity. In the same way this corrupt, incompetent administration is backing unions – we all know that Pelosi’s gang don’t give a sh..t about anyone’s rights – all they are interested in – is MANIPULATING the union’s “collective blackmail (bargaining) votes” for their FAILING PARTY and diseased policies in the upcoming elections. Amazing how these LIARS were capable of mobilizing thousands of “entitlement parasites” in Madison – how they got 14 irresponsible democrats to “flee” the borders – and to stir up national mischief, but – were “incapable” of recognizing the Armenian, Greek, Assyrian, Cypriot GENOCIDE????????????? These morally bankrupt democrats – have also bankrupted this country – in favor of bankrolling ethnic cleansing islamic States globally,
in their “so called” war on terror??? Economically and morally “bribed” by Turkish lobbyists………..the same Turks who are providing lip service to Assad and Ahmadinejad, AND their Hizbollah/Hamas/al Queida loyalists – whilst at the same time arresting and torturing journalists in Turkey who DARE speak out about Hrant Dink and secular Military officers ‘disloyal’ to Erdogans Islamic agenda ?????? Yes Garen – you- like many naive spectators – may believe that Mubarak’s ‘regime’ topple is a sign of “democracy” for Egypt………..but the truth is – it was a result of Syria/Iran and Turkey’s contributions and joint investment to the muslim brotherhood, aided by Hamas and Hizbollah > and with Egypt’s tourist trade now destroyed……..Turkey can now loot the tourist trade, as a reward for their loyal co operation. As for Egypt’s “peaceful demonstrators” and their so called agenda to “free” Egypt – well – why are the Christian Copts being assaulted, terrorized and murdered again? The ugly deception is already evident.
Unions are ok, but normally a union goes up against just one company or industry. Public employee unions are different. They go up against an entire government. Politicians usually do not care how they spend money. They give the unions just about whatever they want because in return the politicians get the union members’ votes. Teachers and state workers are a good example. They are just too powerful. That is one reason why states are broke. Unions are not the only ones to blame but they have to take a share of the responsibility.
Peter is right, but he forgot one thing. Politicians not only get union votes, they also get union money, taken from the dues paid by union members, most of whom have no choice but to pay if they want to keep their jobs. This is happening across the USA. If we cannot break this vicious cycle: union dues and votes -> go to politicians -> who vote more benefits (“rights”) -> which go to union members -> who pay more dues and vote, around and around, then the USA and its once transcendant economy are doomed. The struggle being played out in Madison is nothing less than a battle for the soul of the America.
Thank you Garen for your report from Wisconsin. Unlike the bloggers above, I can indeed see the parallels to what is going on in Wisc to what is happening in the Middle East. Corrupt and deaf politicians (in BOTH parties) cutting deals with large corporations and the uber rich to trash any digity the working class might have. I wonder if those above who criticised you had anything to say about the Wall Street biggies who nearly destroyed the world’s economic system just a few years ago. Remember folks, they not only brought down your savings and pension funds, they got to run away with obscene bonuses as well — where was their outrage? Let’s treat the worker as a second class citizen, let’s not allow him to even have a say in the work conditions going forward, let’s let him first agree to pay concessions as we ask but also blame the economic mess on them, let’s take away all rights and privileges they have worked a whole lifetime for. By golly, this sounds amazingly similar to the conditions the Armenians had to live under in the Turkish villages ( less a Genocide or two every couple of years)!
I’m a retired NYC HS principal, why not ask me how many times we had to “help out” city hall with contracts that included wage deferrals or wage freezes that were ultimately held hostage until we agreed to forgive them just so we could get a new contract. Ask me how many times city hall faile to make their required pension contributions — now THAT my dear disgruntaled bloggers is the REAL reason the pensions are in trouble. By the way, if the gov’t jobs are that easy to do and are that desirable, how come you haven’t applied for one yourself?
Extremism doesn’t work in this country, either from the left or in this case from the far right. We have a way of equalizing, and that’s by voting in the very next election. The country said no to the Pelosi agenda and it will certainly say no to the Walker/Tea party agenda. I can’t wait for 2012 to come fast enough! As for some of the bloggers, Feudalism and indentured servitude have been dead for centuries, stop trying to revive it!
Sorry I couldn’t be there with you at the Rotunda Garen.
Extremism from the right? It’s not happening. Extremism from the leftists in Madison and WI: Here is a short list: (1) Leftists have issued dozens of credible and very specific death threats (such as threats to impale senators on a pole in the capitol square) against the governor and virtually every Republican legislator, and their families. (The details are being suppressed in the mainstream media, and not reported at all in the leftist media). (2) Protesters have physically interfered with people trying to collect recall signatures in Merrill. (3) Protesters have trashing the beautiful Wisconsin state capitol building, breaking doors and windows, taping stuff to the marble walls, etc. in an attempt to obstruct the legitimate functioning of the legistlture. (4) Democrat legislators have cussed out republicans using the F-word. (5) Demonstrators have engaged routinely in physical intimidation of legistlators in the capital (barely mentioned in the leftist media). (6) Demonstrators have roughed up peaceful counter demonstrators in Madison with physical violence (not reported in the leftist media). (7) “Doctors” issued counterfeit work excuses for AWOL teachers. (8) As if this weren’t enough, 14 senators just took off to Illinois in order to prevent a vote from taking place. PRETTY EXTREME STUFF IF YOU ASK ME.
Mike, in the face of all these provocations, the taxpayers of Wisconsin who stand with Walker have remained calm, peaceful, and respectful. Governor Walker himself has been the model of respect and courtesy, even in the face of severe provocation.
By the way, the Wisconsin public employees pension fund is fully funded (unlike many states) and VERY generous. But these generous pension payouts are no longer sustainable, especially with boomers coming down the line. That’s why public employees are being asked to make more contributions.
As a private employee for most of my career (and even when I was a public employee), I did NOT have the right to “collectively bargain” or even “bargain” at all for my wages or benefits. This is not “feudalism”, and its not genocide either, this is just the way life is. If you don’t like the working conditions at X, find a different job at Y. Collective bargaining is a privilege (NOT A RIGHT), and when the government or a company can no longer afford it, it is taken away.
Dear lolo
Check your facts. Collective bargaining IS a right for private employees. Why should public emplyees be any different? Does the term “second class” ring a bell? Just what do you think people who face dramatic reductions in pay and benefits should do, sit around and say thank you? The 14 senators did what they had to do in order to keep this injustice from going forward — that’s what’s in their state constitution and it’s perfectly legal. It’s almost like someone invoking little used challenges in Robert’s Rules of Order. The unions already agreed to the cuts and give backs Gov Walker asked for. The rest of his actions are just abusive, mean and extreme and they serve the agenda of a small but very powerful group of well financed big business people. In fact it was the remaining Republican state senators who broke the law by ramming this bill through. The Republican state attorney general even said so. This will indeed be challenged in the courts and most likely overturned. We’ll see.
You happen to be wrong about the majority of people in Wisconsin supporting the Governor. Yes they support less spending and cutbacks but not taking away collective bargaining rights from the municipal workers — read the polls! 63% oppose the Governor on this matter, and the stats are very similar around the country as well. The governor has NOT been the “model of respect and courtesy” as you state otherwise why did he negotiate a compromise with the 14 senators when he had no intention of following through with his offer?
You cannot suppress people without suffering the consequences. Not in the middle east, not in Turkey and certainly not in the good ole USA (substitue Wisconsin).
Fact Check:
1. I am a private non-unionized employee living in Wisconsin and I DO NOT have collective bargaining rights. If I and lets say a few of my coworkers would have gone to our boss and presented a list of salary and benefit rquirements (demands), we would have been escorted out the door and told not to return.
2. In Wisconsin, public employees were granted collective bargaining by the legislature (I think in 1959). The grant was not given for eternity; even so, the legislature can and thankfully did take the PRIVILEGE away. In Indiana, their governor did it with the stroke of a pen–and I don’t recall hearing anybody complain.
3. The senators who fled claimed they did it to slow the process down and allow debate. In Wisconsin, historically, a very long debate in the legislature would last a day or two. So, I was OK with the senators leaving for 2 or 3 days. When they were gone 5 days (meanwhile the bill was being extensively debated–59 hours non-stop if I recall correctly–in the Assembly), I thought the absent senators had made their point and should return immediately and debate the bill in the Senate. (In my job if I am absent without excuse three days in a row I am fired!!). When they stayed out for two weeks I wrote to my democrat senator (who is fairly reasonable) and begged him to return to debate the bill. Its now perfectly obvious that the democrat senators lied when they claimed they fled to slow down the process–they left to STOP the process, to cripple the state government, to delay passage as long as possible (that arrogant and incompetent Lena Taylor threatened she would stay out her entire term). and meanwhile to allow the public unions around the state to rush contract renewals through before the law went into effect (which is going on right now).
4. The sacrifice in benefits was not that bad, 5% and 12%. No sacrifice in pay. As a private non-unionized employee I pay about 25% of the cost of my health alone, and my pension benefit is meager compared to public employees.
5. You are claiming that the union leaders agreed to these concessions, but IN FACT the locals around the state, the ones that actually do the negotiating, made no such committments. Instead, as I pointed out above, they are right now “ramming through” contract renewals before the law goes into effect.
6. The governor had every intention of making a compromise with those democrat senators who behaved relatively reasonably–not Erpenbach, not Taylor, not Larson. not Miller. However, when his offer of a very reasonable compromise was summarily rejected (obviously on orders from union bosses in DC (who openly flaunt their “power”–they have our government by the testicles and are squeezing for all its worth) and political opetratives of the Obama administration), Gov. Walker decided enough was enough. If you listen to his news conferences with an open mind you will see that, even when faced with extreme provocations and vicious threats on his own life and that of his family, he kept his cool. I was so proud of how he handled himself, I would not have been able to restrain my temper.
7. You are from New York. In my professional career I have had dealings with state officials from nearly every state in the union. Your state (along with California) is totally out of control of any in the country. Please don’t lecture us in Wisconsin how to do things.
One final comment. Over the past decades, private unions have lost membership and influence. Why? Because manufacturing is moving overseas, and one of the main reasons for this is that the cost of labor in the USA is very high compared with the rest of the world. To counteract this trend (loss of union power), public employee unions were formed (even FDR thought it was a bad idea), and people as a condition of getting a job were compelled largely against their will to join, or at least pay dues. This is the opposite of freedom and liberty, when a person is compelled to pay against their will or better judgement. Everyone knows that the unions are in bed with the democrat party, and that union dues fill the democrat (almost exclusively) coffers. Hey Mike, the jig’s up. Walker may win or lose, but public unions are on their way out “in the good ole USA” just like the private ones.
lolo
I believe you to be a principled person, as I consider myself. I respect your opinions and your right to them, I just disagree with them for equally principled reasons. First, all non government workers have a right to be represented by a union and to bargain collectively based on a minimum number of workers in that company ( I believe the number is 50) and if they vote with a majority to have a particular union represent them. This is a Federal Labor Law. You still haven’t answered my question re: if these municipal jobs are such a good deal why haven’t YOU taken one of them? I’m certain you qualify. Could it be that they are paying far less than what you are making in your current position? You are absolutely right about Wisconsin allowing collective bargaining in a legislative vote in 1959. Now that the’ve rescinded that vote, maybe we’ll go back to $1/hour wages and how about a 10 or 12 hour work day, while we’re at it let’s get kids to work a 6 day week. THAT my dear lolo was why unions came about in the first place, to improve conditions for workers. Were there abuses, of course. Where there any benefits, you bet there were. You blame jobs going overseas because of unions. That’s ridiculous! Americans get $40 -65/hour to build cars here, in China they pay people$6-12/day. Those are poverty wages. Is that what you are proposing we do here? I’m all for getting rid of stupid non productive union rules and the best way to do that is through collaboration. We have a Taylor Law in NY which bans municipal workers from striking. Sadly, there is no check or balance governing the municipality that doesn’t bargain in good faith. I can’t remember even ONE contract that came to us that wasn’t 6 months to 3 1/2 years late because of stalling by the city. Even then we had to put up with frozen wages, deferred payments and even forgiving of past due monies. All of this while my friends in the private sector had supeior paychecks, better working conditions and terrific benefits for far less responsible jobs. Now with the economy in the proverbial toilet (and NOT the fault of municipal workers) the public sector employees have had their pays and benefits cut back to the point that municipal jobs look relatively good. You are right about a change coming in this country but it’s not the abolution of unions. Quite the contrary, Gov Walker ENERGIZED the labor movement.
And here is the rest of the story: it is now a year and a half since the Madison uprising. Most of ther demonstrators have gone back home to life as they know it. Enough people signed a petition to have a recall election. In the Democratic primary, the unions backed Madison County Exec Kathleen Falk, but she as well as two others lost to the strongest opponent Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (btw, Barrett opposed the Armenian Genocide resolution while he was in Congress). This was a repeat–the same two went against each other in 2010. Despite the influx of millions of dollars in union money, Gov. Walker ended up with more votes this time than last, and beat Barrett with a larger margin. Wisconsin is making great progress, jobs are being created and the budget has been balanced. Gradually, public employees are getting used to paying a few extra dollars for their generous benefits, and very few have lost their jobs.