UNION!

Historic vote today at UW-L. Eighty-seven per cent of the faculty voted Wednesday and today on whether or not to join the American Federation of Teachers and 87% of those who voted voted YES! More than 100 people turned out near the campus clock tower to celebrate (with more celebration continuing even now). Next, it's the academic staff's turn. Stay tuned.

Tomorrow, Dan Kapanke is due to return home to French Island. Please rally on the Clinton Street bridge at 5:00 p.m.

Saturday is a BIG rally day in Madison. A coalition of progressive groups is holding a noon time rally at the Capitol. Another rally will begin at 3 p.m. Here's the bus info: CRUE - (Coulee Region Educators) will have a bus leaving the mall lot at 10 a.m.

AFSCME will have one bus - first come first served - leaving at 11:30 am from Valley View Mall (between Sears & Theatre) Second pick up at Kwik Trip in Tomah. Drop off at Butler and E Washington, Madison (2 blocks from the square) and RETURN 5:00 pm Other locations, too (see the Wisconsin Legislative Council of AFSCME bus page).

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Vote with your pocket book. Boycott Scott Walker donors and email/call to tell them why (that's a very important bit!) The biggies: Kwik Trip, Menards (JR Menard is executive vice president of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce), Johnsonville Brats, Walmart (but of course), Northwestern Mutual Life, M&I Bank, Miller/Coors, SC Johnson, Sargento.

There are some tricky ones. For example, Wisconsin Credit Union League Action Fund. First of all, what the HELL!? Credit unions - aren't they one step above (barely) communists? Yet, there they are on the list of PACs donating $5,000 or more to Walker. I must have a discussion with my credit union about this one. Well, make your own decisions, but really - where do these folks get the money to buy their politicians??? Think about it.

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Again, the most important thing any of us can do is talk to our less intelligent relatives, friends and neighbors. That guy who owns the small business and is sick of paying for greedy bottom feeders like teachers and police officers? Who do they think is going to buy their products or services if their pay is cut so deeply? That guy who works without benefits and doesn't want anyone else to have them either? What does he think is going to happen to his pay when the bottom drops out of the "how low can we go" line unions have been holding with respect to wages, working conditions, time rules, etc. At this rate, we will all be serfs soon.