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Wisconsin unions see ranks drop ahead of recall vote
Wall Street Journal via Fox News ^

Posted on 05/31/2012 5:36:47 AM PDT by sgtyork

Public-employee unions in Wisconsin have experienced a dramatic drop in membership -- by more than half for the second-biggest union -- since a law championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker sharply curtailed their ability to bargain over wages and working conditions. Now with Mr. Walker facing a recall vote Tuesday, voters will decide whether his policies in the centrist state should continue -- or whether they have gone too far. The election could mark a pivot point for organized labor. Mr. Walker's ouster would derail the political career of a rising Republican star and send a warning to other elected officials who are battling unions. But a victory for the governor, who has been leading his Democratic opponent in recent polls, would amount to an endorsement of an effort to curtail public-sector unions, which have been a pillar of strength for organized labor while private-sector membership has dwindled. That could mean the sharp losses that some Wisconsin public-worker unions have experienced is a harbinger of similar unions' future nationwide, union leaders fear. Failure to oust Mr. Walker and overturn the Wisconsin law "spells doom," said Bryan Kennedy, the American Federation of Teachers' Wisconsin president. Wisconsin membership in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-the state's second-largest public-sector union after the National Education Association, which represents teachers-fell to 28,745 in February from 62,818 in March 2011, according to a person who has viewed Afscme's figures. A spokesman for Afscme declined to comment.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: milwaukee; publicunions; recall; scottwalker; tombarrett; wisconsin
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I'm surprised this has happened so soon. This appears to align with the MU Law School poll where Democrats report of likelihood to vote is dropping.
1 posted on 05/31/2012 5:36:58 AM PDT by sgtyork
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To: Hunton Peck; Diana in Wisconsin; P from Sheb; Shady; DonkeyBonker; Wisconsinlady; JPG; bushwon; ...

Wis ping list - filling in for AfraidfortheRepublic


2 posted on 05/31/2012 5:40:25 AM PDT by sgtyork (The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage. Thucydides)
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To: sgtyork

FTA — “Public-employee unions in Wisconsin have experienced a dramatic drop in membership — by more than half for the second-biggest union . . .” KABOOM!!! This made my day. Drive the union thugs into the sea!!!!!


3 posted on 05/31/2012 5:51:52 AM PDT by jhroberts
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To: sgtyork
Wisconsin unions see ranks drop ahead of recall vote


4 posted on 05/31/2012 5:53:00 AM PDT by tomkat (:^)
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To: sgtyork

Oh, pull out the tissue.


5 posted on 05/31/2012 5:55:16 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Buying Drain-O requires photo I.D... yet voting doesn't???)
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To: sgtyork

What is the membership declining? Were their jobs eliminated, or did they opt out of the union?


6 posted on 05/31/2012 5:58:01 AM PDT by jaydubya2
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To: sgtyork

7 posted on 05/31/2012 5:58:40 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Buying Drain-O requires photo I.D... yet voting doesn't???)
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To: sgtyork

Is Wisconsin a “right to work” state?


8 posted on 05/31/2012 6:02:35 AM PDT by Huskrrrr ( the will)
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To: tomkat

even though they have left the union, will they not still vote democRAT in the election?


9 posted on 05/31/2012 6:04:50 AM PDT by stickywillie (a corrupt parallel universe exists beside our wonderful Constitution)
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To: stickywillie
even though they have left the union, will they not still vote democRAT in the election?

Good question, but one thing's for certain... it spells a shrinking pool of $$$ for the union bosses.

10 posted on 05/31/2012 6:07:35 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Buying Drain-O requires photo I.D... yet voting doesn't???)
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To: jaydubya2

I suspect most just opted out of union. Dues are approx. $100 per month depending on union, location, contract,etc. Everyone is trying to save $ these days...


11 posted on 05/31/2012 6:08:46 AM PDT by donozark (One in four Confederate Soldiers who fell at Gettysburg came from North Carolina.)
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To: Huskrrrr

No, Wisc. is not a RTW State. Maybe the Gov. will push to become one after next week’s election!


12 posted on 05/31/2012 6:10:18 AM PDT by donozark (One in four Confederate Soldiers who fell at Gettysburg came from North Carolina.)
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To: ScottinVA

I work with and know several union members who DO NOT pay their union dues, still the union will protect them when the chips are down. Some have told me, I have better things to do with my money”. Heart warming isn’t it?


13 posted on 05/31/2012 6:13:22 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: sgtyork; Diana in Wisconsin; ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas; stephenjohnbanker; DoughtyOne; ...
RE :”Public-employee unions in Wisconsin have experienced a dramatic drop in membership — by more than half for the second-biggest union — since a law championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker sharply curtailed their ability to bargain over wages and working conditions

Didn't the law also stop the state from forcing employers to take union dues out of the employees paychecks as with tax withholding?

Also see :
Schultz/MSNBC Launch 'Get Out The Vote' Effort Against Scott Walker

14 posted on 05/31/2012 6:14:01 AM PDT by sickoflibs (Romney is a liberal. Just watch him closely try to screw us.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks sickoflibs. Have a great day, all.


15 posted on 05/31/2012 6:17:44 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (FReepathon 2Q time -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: sgtyork
For unions, membership == revenue == political power.

If the Repubs can hold out and maintain control til the end of the year, the Dem party in WI will be broken beyond easy recovery. The key recall race is Walker -- Half the state Senate comes up for re-election in November anyway.

16 posted on 05/31/2012 6:45:01 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (If I can't be persuasive, I at least hope to be fun.)
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To: sgtyork

Afscme? Do capital letters cost more?


17 posted on 05/31/2012 6:47:48 AM PDT by 1010RD (First, Do No Harm)
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To: jaydubya2

I’m pretty sure it is due to a change in union dues collections. The state no longer collects for the unions; hence union members are getting their dues back in their paychecks. I kind of doubt they are going to give that money up voluntarily now, hence the drop in membership.


18 posted on 05/31/2012 6:49:18 AM PDT by Michael Barnes (Obamaa+ Downgrade)
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To: sgtyork

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!


19 posted on 05/31/2012 7:07:58 AM PDT by Londo Molari
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To: Michael Barnes

I opted out. I’d rather give the dues to a charity of my choosing, where they’ll actually do some good.


20 posted on 05/31/2012 7:12:49 AM PDT by knittnmom (Save the earth! It's the only planet with chocolate!)
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