Support Proposal 2 rally set for Oct. 2

Sheet Metal Workers Local 80 is organizing a “Protect Our Jobs” rally in support of Proposal 2. It will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at the Retail Clerks Hall, 876 Horace Brown Drive in Madison Heights. All are welcome.

The “Protect Our Jobs”/”Protect Working Families ballot proposal collected nearly 700,000 petition signatures, which led to the placement of Proposal 2 on the ballot. If it is adopted by Michigan voters on Nov. 6, Proposal 2 will enshrine certain collective bargaining rights in the state Constitution.

The goal of the rally is to raise awareness of the proposal. “We are enthusiastically dedicated to uniting Michigan workers,” says a flier with rally information. “We need to protect our voice right now.”

Judge knocks down Wisconsin’s anti-union law

A Sept. 14 ruling by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas striking down the Wisconsin law (Act 10) that eliminated public employee collective bargaining rights, “Shows as we have said from day one,” says Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President Phil Neuenfeldt:

Scott Walker’s attempt to silence the union men and women of Wisconsin’s public sector was an immoral, unjust and illegal power grab. Now, a court has ruled that the essential provisions of Act 10, Scott Walker’s draconian attack on public worker’s right to collectively bargain, is unconstitutional.

Marty Bell, executive director of AFSCME Council 24 said that after the news was received, a crowd that had gathered for a solidarity rally in Madison for striking Chicago teachers cheered the news, “There was huge excitement there. Every public employee ought to be excited about this.”

We’ve now had a federal and state judge say this law was unconstitutional and that it violated not only the state constitution but the U.S. Constitution as well. The working men and women from across this state deserve to have their rights, which Scott Walker stole from them, restored and today’s ruling gave them hope.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the law remains largely in force for state workers, but for city, county and school workers the decision returns the law to its status before Walker signed the legislation in March 2011.

Walker’s Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Saturday the state would appeal the ruling.