OntheWilderSide

See bottom of this post for link to live stream of Governor Scott Walker’s Tuesday speech to legislature…

(excerpt from) Journal Sentinel on-line
WSEU files unfair labor practice charge against Walker
by Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel / Feb. 28, 2011 12:43 p.m

The Wisconsin State Employees Union on Monday filed an unfair labor practice charge against Gov. Scott Walker, accusing him of refusing to bargain on a new contract.

The complaint was filed with the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission.

“This governor has never made any attempt to contact the unions he is attacking, much less negotiate in good faith as required by law,” said Marty Beil, the union’s executive director. “Instead of trying to find real solutions to the challenges facing the state, the governor is attempting to dictate terms. This not only is ineffective, it’s against the law,” Beil said.

In the complaint, which can be read here, the WSEU says it had a tentative agreement in mid-December, which was approved by the Assembly, but was rejected in the Senate on a tie vote.

During that time, the complaint says, then Gov-Elect Walker announced his opposition to the tentative agreements…

The complaint asks the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission to force the state to bargain with the union…

Walker said the state lacks the resources to bargain in good faith…

KW writes: LOL! I love this line: “[Governor] Walker said the state lacks the resources to bargain in good faith.” It is full of irony and doublespeak. What are the resources to “bargain in good faith”? It would not require money to argue in good faith. If you were sincerely broke, you could say that in the discussion. The resource that is needed to “bargain in good faith” is actually “honesty and integrity” — and, probably, neither Governor Scott Walker, nor the Wisconsin Republican Legislators have those resources.

I am glad that someone is finally addressing and making a complaint about some of the underlying issues. I also think that someone should figure out a way to get a legal opinion regarding the ability (or lack of ability) of mere legislation from taking away collective bargaining rights. Somehow, it seems like the pieces of Governor Scott Walker’s budget and/or law that proposed to take away the right to collective bargaining in relation to working conditions, might violate the Wisconsin state constitution, or the rights of the workers under the US Constitution (ie: the right to assemble, etc.)
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Want to hear Governor Scott Walker live?
(I can’t decide if I should boycott his propaganda, or listen to keep an eye on him!)

Tuesday afternoon, March 1, 2011, Governor Scott Walker will be giving a speech to the legislature about his proposed budget. It will start at 4pm Central/Wisconsin time, which means, 5pm EST/New York time. You can listen to live-streaming at tv station WTAQ: here.

Filed under: Labor, News, politics, progressive politics, US Politics Tagged: | collective bargaining, Constitutional Law, Governor Walker, labor issues, Marty Beil, Scott Walker, unfair labor practices, Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, Wisconsin protests, Wisconsin unions