Wisconsin Firefighters: We'll Give Up Pay to Save Collective Bargaining (story & Video)

[Omaha Steve]

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/wisconsin-firefighters-give-pay-union-video

— By Adam Weinstein
| Sun Feb. 20, 2011 12:47 AM PST



MJ reporter Andy Kroll has been working on the ground in Madison, Wisconsin, with media colleagues from the Uptake to collect the latest on the ongoing labor dispute there. Just a few hours ago, Uptake's Oliver Dykstra scored an interview in the capitol with Mahlon Mitchell, president of the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin, who pledged solidarity with his fellow state workers, even though firefighters and police were spared from Gov. Scott Walker's attempt to bust state unions' bargaining power. Among Mitchell's pledges: The state's safety workers would agree to forgo some of their privileges and benefits to preserve collective bargaining for all the state's union workers. "We have a unique job," he said, "but so does the snow-plow driver, so does the janitor, so does a nurse, so does a teacher at UW college.

Full video is below. Highlights:

* "The reason that we are here is because it's important that labor sticks together. There was a message from the governor's office to conquer and divide...collective bargaining is not just for us, police and fire, it's good for all involved. It's a middle-class upbringing."


FULL story & video at link.

[BanzaiBonnie]

1. I cried when I read this...

In order to survive the cancer of greed that has overtaken some, we must all stand together.

Those at the top have stolen our resources. The economy is what WE make of it. It only works as long as we continue to play the game. If labor stops, the economy stops. TPTB will go to any lengths to keep us in thrall to "the economy."