Show your support for our colleagues in Wisconsin

Educators and public employees are in the fight of their lives to retain their right to bargain collectively.

As you know, the Republican governor and Republican-controlled Legislature used Wisconsin’s budget deficit as an excuse to eliminate 80 years of collective bargaining rights for public workers. Wisconsin educators have lost the ability to negotiate over pensions, healthcare, transfer rights -- anything except a minuscule wage increase, capped at the rate of inflation. But the fight in Wisconsin is not over.

We must do all we can to support our sisters and brothers in that state. We have sent staff and retirees to Madison, and mobilized our members who live in Wisconsin to support the teachers’ and workers’ efforts.

Below are ways you can help.

Attend a rally

Join us April 4 at the Minnesota Capitol for the "We Are One" rally. Working families throughout the country will rally April 4 to support the middle class.
Visit the AFT-Wisconsin or Wisconsin AFL-CIO websites for information about statewide events in Wisconsin.
Go to our Facebook page for photos from the March 12 rally in Madison.

Other activities

Contact your Minnesota legislators and tell them to stop the attacks on workers' rights.
For more rallies throughout the week, WEAC has a list of activities on its website.
AFSCME also lists activities to support workers' rights; check their website.

Sign a petition

You can sign a petition on NEA's Education Votes site or on the One Wisconsin Now site.

Contribute to the cause

WEAC will accept donations between $25 and $1,000 toward the ongoing costs of organizing the protests. Send checks in care of WEAC to P.O. Box 8003, Madison, WI 53708-8003.
You can also donate through the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, AFSCME's Workers' Rights Emergency Response Fund or the America Votes Labor Unity Fund.

Watch these websites

NEA members around the country are standing up for their students and their rights as professionals at Education Votes. Be sure to sign up as an online volunteer for public education activism. Now more than ever, you are needed to make a difference.
Find out what's happening in other states on the AFT's new "Make a Difference" web page.
The AFL-CIO has started the “We Are One” Facebook page, where we all can post messages of support and solidarity for the protesters in Wisconsin—and all workers who are under attack in states across America. Like “We Are One” on Facebook.
Follow daily updates on the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO blog.
We are also updating the Education Minnesota Facebook and Twitter pages with information. Be sure to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Support the Wisconsin 14!
Take a moment to leave a message for the senators, thanking these heroes for standing with working families (If a voice mail box is full, try sending an e-mail. E-mail addresses can be found on the Senate home pages):

Tim Carpenter (District 3), 608-266-8535
Spencer Coggs (District 6), 608-266-2500
Tim Cullen (District 15), 608-266-2253
Jon Erpenbach (District 27), 608-266-6670
Dave Hansen (District 30), 608-266-5670
Jim Holperin (District 12), 608-266-2509
Bob Jauch (District 25), 608-266-3510
Chris Larson (District 7), 608-266-7505
Julie Lassa (District 24), 608-266-3123
Mark Miller (District 16), 608-266-9170
Fred Risser (District 26), 608-266-1627
Lena Taylor (District 4), 608-266-5810
Kathleen Vinehout (District 31), 608-266-8546
Bob Wirch (District 22), 608-266-8979

Contact the senators who voted to kill collective bargaining

Call or e-mail the senators and urge them to reconsider.
Help with the recall effort. Organizers have only 60 days to collect signatures; you can help!

Give Governor Walker a piece of your mind!

Call his office directly at 608-266-1212, or e-mail govgeneral@wisconsin.gov.

March 22, 2011