ILCA member videos, photos and stories that came in over the weekend from direct actions around the country in solidarity with the workers in Wisconsin and elsewhere who are fighting to defend their rights:
2/25:
Audio: Wisconsin Fight is Not About the Money by Mike Matejka
From Deb Kosloske, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals (WFNHP): (via Amy Excell of IFT-AFT)
Here’s What You Can Do:
· Take photos and share them on the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO’s Facebook <http://act.aflcio.org/salsa/
2/26:
Solidarity knows no borders by Michael Kuchta, AFSCME Council 5
It was 2 degrees above zero. It was snowing. But, hey, this is Minnesota. So February weather didn’t stop well over 1,000 people from rallying outside the state capitol in St. Paul on Saturday, in support of Wisconsin workers. The rally was organized by MoveOn and emceed by AFSCME Council 5 director Eliot Seide.
Video: www.workdayminnesota.org/
Photos: www.flickr.com/photos/afscmemn
1,000 RALLY FOR “JUSTICE FOR ALL” IN DC: The crowd at Dupont Circle seemed to materialize out of thin air, swelling from a handful to hundreds in just a few minutes at noon yesterday. Chanting "This is what democracy looks like," nearly a thousand -- many wearing Wisconsin's red and black colors -- had gathered around the fountain by the time the rally -- part of a 50-state mobilization in state capitals across the nation coordinated by MoveOn.com and others -- ended an hour later. Speaker after speaker linked the battle for bargaining rights by Wisconsin's public workers to struggles by working people across the country. "Today the attack is on public sector workers, yesterday it was industrial unions and tomorrow it's all of us," said US Action's Jeff Blum. "They say take back, we say fight back!" chant
ed the crowd. “We’ve got to save the American dream,” said University of Maryland student Jesse Zarley, just back from a visit to Madison, “They can’t deny us our rights.” An impromptu glee club led the crowd in a shaky but enthusiastic rendition of Wisconsin’s fight song and former White House Special Advisor Van Jones wrapped up the rally with a promise that “the nightmare is coming to an end and the dream is being reborn. We’re not going to let the hope die on our watch, that’s not going to happen. The good people of Wisconsin could have laid down, but instead, when it was darkest, the people stood together. When you have a dream and someone to stand next to you, nothing can defeat you.” Noting that Tea Partiers say they’re for liberty, Jones said “We’re for liberty too, but we’re for the rest of that slogan: liberty…and justice for all!” The crowd, warmed by the February sun peeping through the clouds, chanted with Brown: “Justice for all! Justice for All!”- report/photos by Chris Garlock
From Maria Lillis in Hawaii:
LL 1998 Officers Bob Lillis and Larry Tacca at today's MoveOn Rally in support of Wisconsin workers.
Photo Album: DC Rally in Solidarity with Wisconsin, by Dave Kameras, UMWA
Dispatch and Photo from Mike Matejka:
Saturday (2/26) I rode a bus from Bloomington IL to Madison WI for the massive labor rally at the state capitol, courtesy of UAW 2488 (Mitsubishi Motors). The Capitol Square was jam packed, the crowd estimate was over 100,000. Lots of families & kids, a festive atmosphere, despite the cold and the continual snowfall. I didn't make into the Capitol building, they were letting people in a few at a time, and the line to go in was 3 blocks long. Many young students were present with their families with signs supporting their teachers, lots of humorous signs referring to the Koch Brothers and the prank phone call on Governor Walker. There was an inter-faith church service, a rally at 3 p.m., and people just continually walking around the square through the falling snow in a massive throng. Very well behaved and everyone very friendly. Quite an historic event to be present for.
From Washington State Labor Council's Kathy Cummings:
