Wisconsin Assembly passes anti-labor bill; workers step up the struggle

The ANSWER Coalition released the statement and appeal below. The PSL is a member organization of ANSWER, and PSL members are in Wisconsin supporting the organizing efforts.

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These eighth-grade students were among the many who walked out and joined the demonstration in solidarity with Wisconsin workers.

If public and private sector workers in Wisconsin engage in a general strike, it
will be supported by workers and students across the country. This struggle will not be decided in the halls of the state
government, but in the streets—and spreading the word and building national support will
be critical as workers prepare for the next stage in this battle.

ANSWER organizers have been helping to
organize from the epicenter of
this historic labor battle. Thousands of people poured into the streets
to protest the illegal vote to strip workers of their rights. Our
organizers have also been reporting and tweeting live throughout the
day. They will continue to send in reports, video and photos of the
actions as they
continue to unfold in the coming days. ANSWER has also produced and
distributed
placards and other materials in Madison in solidarity with the workers
and
students.

Please help
us at this critical moment of struggle by making an urgently needed donation. Your
support will help cover the cost of organizers on the ground as well as the production of materials for the demonstrations.

Eyewitness report

This eyewitness report was sent today by activists at the labor demonstrations in Madison, Wis.

In a 53-42 vote, the Wisconsin State Assembly just passed
the bill at the center of labor struggle that has unfolded in Madison for the
past several weeks. The new legislation strips public-sector workers of
collective bargaining among other fundamental union rights. Gov. Scott Walker—the
most ardent backer of the bill—has already indicated he’ll sign it into law.

But if Gov. Walker thinks he can silence the workers and students and succeed with his
anti-labor agenda, he is seriously mistaken.

Help with this fight now. We can win.

Thousands of demonstrators immediately began
converging at the state capitol last night after a special legislative
committee pulled a procedural sleight-of-hand to get around the
required three-fifths quorum that had been prevented by the Senate
Democrats. Last night’s Senate vote on the bill allowed it to proceed to
the Assembly.

Protesters continued to arrive today in a
show of force against the union-busting legislation. Middle- and
high-school
students walked out by the thousands to join the demonstrations. The
impressive outpouring delayed the Assembly vote for several hours.

Now comes the the next phase of the struggle. More
student walkouts are planned for tomorrow and a mass labor action has been announced for
Saturday. Prior to the vote on the bill, the
Madison-based South Central Federation of Labor’s 45,000 members
endorsed a resolution calling for preparations for a general strike
should the bill pass.

Please make an urgently needed donation today.