MADISON – Following is a statement from Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate on the news that Wisconsin Republicans will call an extraordinary session to pass contentious Right to Work legislation.
“Just four years after Scott Walker dropped the bomb on Wisconsin families by rolling back six decades of labor peace in Wisconsin with his attack on public sector unions, Walker and his Republican Party are making good on their promise to “divide and conquer” Wisconsin with contentious Right to Work legislation that will dismantle our middle class.
“Make no mistake; this is not a fight anyone wants to have right now. The challenges facing our state — a crippling $2.2 billion budget deficit of Scott Walker’s own creation, stagnant wages, diminishing economic opportunity – are too great to be wasting time with another partisan, political battle. If there is an extraordinary session of the legislature it should be to fix the problems caused by Scott Walker’s inattention to Wisconsin as he campaigns for president.
“To be sure, this legislation isn’t a priority for working Wisconsin families and it does nothing to grow our economy. In fact, wages are on average $5,000 lower in right-to-work states. But if Scott Walker and his Republican Party are going to darken our door with another assault on the rights of workers to form and join a union, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin will march with our brothers and sisters in organized labor every step of the way. Because the surest way to get into and stay in the middle class is through having a powerful labor movement.
“The fight for workers and their rights is worthy of Wisconsin and our proud progressive legacy. Solidarity.”
