CSEA’s Board of Directors Passes Resolution to Denounce Gov. Walker’s actions The California School Employees Association stands firmly in support of the peaceful assembly of firefighters, teachers, school employees, nurses, students--union and non-union alike--who are fighting the union-busting antics of Governor Scott Walker and his anti-worker cronies.

Governor Walker has proposed elimination of meaningful collective bargaining rights for public employees. The Governor’s so-called “Budget Repair Bill” would limit collective bargaining for most state and local public workers, allowing them to negotiate over wages only. Nearly 200,000 union members – including home healthcare workers and University of Wisconsin faculty and academic staff who only recently won those rights – would be affected.

“Governor Walker is an extremist who is targeting the very people who educate children, provide a safe environment for children and keep communities safe”, said CSEA President Allan D. Clark. “We must speak out as labor and as Americans.”

Wisconsin has become the visible battleground for workers nationwide, but in states from east to west public employees are fighting day to day to maintain the fundamental right to organize, bargain for better pay, healthcare benefits and safe working conditions.

CSEA’s resolution is attached and stands as our long distance voice in support of our brothers and sisters in Wisconsin and wherever the anti-worker, anti-public employee battles are being waged.

Addendum
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
Executive Department
Date: February 19, 2011
To: Board of Directors
From: Dave Low, Executive Director
Subject: Resolution in Support of Wisconsin Workers

Currently in Wisconsin, anti-worker and anti-public employee forces are attacking classified employees, teachers, prison guards and other public employees – the very workers who educate and provide a safe environment for children and keep the community safe. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wants to disenfranchise working people by destroying collective bargaining and bankrupting the public sector unions.

Governor Walker has proposed elimination of meaningful collective bargaining rights for public employees. The Governors so-called “Budget Repair Bill” would limit collective bargaining for most state and local public workers, allowing them to negotiate over wages only. Nearly 200,000 union members – including home health care workers and University of Wisconsin faculty and academic staff who only recently won those rights – would be affected.

To further undermine the collective strength of public workers, the proposal would let employees avoid having to pay their fair share of union expenses, and make it more difficult forunions to collect dues. Also, new contracts would have to be negotiated every year, and collective bargaining units would have to take annual votes to maintain certification as a union.

In addition, Governor Walker recently announced cancellation of all state contracts as of March 13, and “No negotiations”. Incredibly, he has also announced that he has the Wisconsin National Guard on “standby”!

Thousands of citizens have flooded the State Capitol and the streets, saying "No!" to Governor Walker. In contrast with Egypt where the dictator has been driven from power and democracy is being built, Governor Walker is trying to assume dictatorial powers, and is destroying democracy. This attack on the public sector unions has nothing to do with balancing the budget. The purpose is to drive unions - all unions - out of the political process. Governor Walker’s proposals are designed to disenfranchise working people. They are anti-democratic in content and purpose. Without a functioning trade union movement, there is no democracy.

Governor Walker is far out of the mainstream, and when they target the very people who educate children and provide a safe environment for children and keep communities safe, we must speak out as labor and as Americans.

Recommendation: That CSEA stand in solidarity with Wisconsin workers and unions against the extreme antics of Governor Walker.