It’s been a week of non-stop rallies, tens of thousands of people marching together in solidarity, brave men and women from every walk of life taking to the streets raising their voices in unison, vowing to stay until their demands are met. 

Egypt?  Libya?  Tunisia?  No … Madison, Wisconsin.  When Governor Walker waged an all-out attack on middle class jobs and vowed to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights, 70,000 showed up to protest at the State Capitol on Saturday.  Thousands remain and are committed to staying until their voices are heard.  Similar battles are raging in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Florida, and Michigan.  And it’s not about balancing budgets or making America competitive.  It’s about driving unions out, because once you accomplish that, then you’ve paralyzed the power of working people.  And when that happens, the way is paved for American politics to be totally dominated by a combination of corporate greed, right-wing media and tea party extremism – and the hard-working, American middle class will cease to exist. 

As I write, some of your UWUA brothers and sisters are in Wisconsin showing support.  Jim Gennett and Rich Harkins report today that, despite fighting brutal Wisconsin winter elements, unity is strong, support is wide-spread, and no one intends to leave until the Governor changes his course.

This is a fight we cannot turn our backs on.  I and other UWUA brothers and sisters will be heading to Wisconsin on Wednesday, and the AFL-CIO Executive Council has scheduled an emergency phone conference tomorrow to discuss a plan of action.  We will keep you informed and let you know what you can – and MUST do as we fight to get this country’s priorities back on track.  

D. Michael Langford
President, Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA)