Why I Am Getting Off My Tail and Coming to the State-wide Lobby Day and Rally for Public Sector Workers

(With the updated communication platform we have, I assumed this was the best place to post, instead of the listserv.)

Every time I see Karly or Cameron around campus, I always think to myself, "I should be doing more for the union." I'm one of those sometimes involved, but other times off-the-radar members. I pay my dues and volunteer occasionally and selectively talk to people in my department about joining, but I know I could do more. I saw this piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education today, and it both inspired and concerned me. It is about higher education workers in Wisconsin, and their fight against the draconian proposals in their state legislature to strip state employees of collective bargaining rights. I was amazed to see the picture with thousands of protestors gathered around the statehouse to protect these core provisions, but troubled to read about the full-on assault aimed at state workers' unions, especially as Wisconsin is supposed to be one of the "strong labor" states. It made me think about our union and the upcoming rally in Nashville to support Tennessee's public employees during this difficult time. I'm coming to Lobby Day and the state employee rally this year because it is clear that there is a full-on war being waged in this country against public unions and public services.  We have to stand up to this. Our movement and all the gains made by UCW within the past decade are at stake. I can't sit on my tail this time.

http://chronicle.com/article/With-Unions-Under-Threat/126379/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en