As tension rises, people are talking about a general strike

[Bjorn Against]

Source: Madison Capital Times

What happens next is anyone's guess as Gov. Scott Walker continues to restrict public access to the state Capitol Building Tuesday in preparation for release of a biennial budget that may ratchet up public discontent over spending cuts and reductions to public worker rights and benefits.

The prospect of a general strike in support of Wisconsin public workers seems like a long shot -- even after the historic huge and peaceful protests at the Capitol - but the experts I spoke with say there are potent forces at work here.

City leaders have been talking about the idea of a strike, and it's getting attention elsewhere, too, as polls continue to find that the general public supports the kind of collective bargaining rights that Walker's budget repair would strip from public worker unions.

In case you missed it, both Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and past mayor and current candidate Paul Soglin talked about a general strike at a candidate forum Feb. 23 at the Warner Park Community and Recreation Center on the city's north side. After an audience member asked them about it. You can video of the forum by John Quinlan here.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/grassroots/article_7d9c2506-4421-11e0-bef4-001cc4c03286.html

[Skip_In_Boulder]

1. I think its time

[sybylla]

25. After seeing this budget, we have nothing left to lose in a general strike.

• Our schools are wiped out. Our children are screwed.
  
• Our local governments will essentially cease to be anything beyond skeletal police and fire departments.
  
• Our decent unemployment rate of 5% (MOL) will skyrocket as we hemorrhage public sector jobs.
  
• College grads, provided they can afford to finish school, won't be able to find any jobs - at least not in Wisconsin when they will have to compete with the huge influx of highly educated and now unemployed teachers.
  
• High costs of fuel and food are driving our economy into the ground.
  

WTF to we have to lose in a General Strike?

As long as I can afford the gas to drive to the nearest gathering of strikers, I'll be there.

[Skip_In_Boulder]

35. Can't disagree with you there. n/t

[Drale]

2. Can he be arrested for ignoring a court order?

[Kennah]

12. When the Governor does it, that means that it's not illegal.

[Critters2]

21. Zackly. nt

[Kennah]

32. Is that a picture of Checkers? He's awful cute.

[Critters2]

34. That's my beagle, Grace. nt

[Hosnon]

22. You'd quite possibly run into some separation of powers issues.

Such as if the Supreme Court limited the President's ability to be Commander in Chief.

[FreakinDJ]

3. Coast to Coast

[Mac Adams]

4. Love this idea

[wryter2000]

6. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[FreakinDJ]

13. Welcome

[Jokinomx]

5. I think that is the only way to get the gov to break....

Peaceful protests got the attention of the world...but he is committed to breaking the union and he knows for certain he will be one term governor, if that. Hopefully a recall will be successful one.

But if all the unions in the state went on a strike. He would have to cave.

We are stepping back to the 1930s ... and we have to win.

:toast:

[RKP5637]

9. We need to repeat strikes across this country to get workers back into control. People need

to realize in these times the only way to have a decent life again is by massive union membership. The average worker in this country is going to be screwed to the wall, many already are. Hopefully workers will realize their standard of living is going to shrink drastically in the coming years. WI is just the test case. The country is being setup for massive peasantry. Many Americans are still DUH!

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Wasn't Walker kicked out of a restuarant or something recently?

THAT"s what we need more of..people refusing to sell to or serve these megalomaniacs.

[RKP5637]

10. Yep!!! He was asked to leave!!! Exactly, we have herds of megalomaniacs and

sociopaths moving into gov. It's also a way to be criminally legal. Americans don't vote often with their brains, but rather with their emotions. And the megalomaniacs and sociopaths know full well how to work peoples emotions to get their vote.

Yep, "refuse to sell to or serve these megalomaniacs."

[Bragi]

8. Bestill my heart! /nt

[socialist_n_TN]

11. It's a serious proposition. You've got to prepare for the.........

long haul because a general strike is meant to HURT. It will hurt everyone involved. Prepare to be arrested and occupy factories. It's a BIG FUCKING DEAL.

[Citizen Worker]

14. It's about time is right but if there is a general strike it needs to be well planned with

assurances that emergency services will not be interrupted. If such a strike does take place and is confined to Wisconsin then it should address the issues that affect Wisconsin. If it is coast to coast then there needs to be a clear agenda of what the strikers will settle for, and the list should be a very long one with no compromises. A partial list to begin with: end the free slave agreements that have exported all of our jobs, change the tax laws so that corporations and the rich pay to support the commons, end offshore tax havens for individuals and corporations, fully fund public pensions, lower the Social Security retirement age, universal single payer health care, repeal the Taft-Hartley Act or at the minimum pass the Employee Free Choice Act, end the endless wars, cut the defense budget in half, etc., etc.

Please feel free to add your own demands.

[Warren Stupidity]

15. I think it is time for a Global General Strike.

In solidarity with all working people on the planet.

[socialist_n_TN]

40. I agree Warren. Perhaps it Wisconsin starts it................

we might get some sympathy strikes going overseas. From there, who know where it will spread.

Workers of the world need to do SOMETHING to take back some power or at least show that we're fed up. And the capitalist opression IS worldwide.

[iamtechus]

16. Most union contracts have a no-strike clause.

Only in narrowly defined circumstances may those unions strike. It would be impossible to mount a european-style general strike in this country. Government employees don't have the legal right to strike - period. Walker would love to have them do so because he could then make his Reagan fantasy come true. That's how Regal Ronald was able to can the air traffic controllers.

Just forget the childish general strike talk.

[Bragi]

19. Yes, by definition, a general strike is always illegal

Doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't happen.

[socialist_n_TN]

26. What? Are you afraid of getting arrested?..........

Unless you're one of the elites, that's what it's coming to. Either that of give up your rights all together. Die on your feet or live on your knees.

I agree that a general strike is serious business AND should not be entered into lightly. But if we go, we go all in. I don't believe we should stop at just work stoppages. I think that we occupy businesses and plants to keep out the scabs and bring production to a halt. I think that we tie up streets and hiways with demonstrations and trucks and barricades. I say ARREST ME MOTHERFUCKER!

[UnDued11]

27. In theory, it's something to think about, BUT

remember too, that in Europe when they have massive strikes, those strikers still have health care for themselves & families.

People HERE, are often working to HAVE those things , and when unemployment is so high, there are always people who will gladly step into the jobs that will be lost when the strikers get fired.

Workers are in a real bind, and the republicans who run things are very aware of it. They would LOVE a general strike, just like they secretly loved what Katrina did to Louisiana.:(

[socialist_n_TN]

28. And how many are going to get fired anyway?

Die on your feet or live on your knees.

[UnDued11]

29. many would take a chance on maybe not being fired vs fired for sure

especially if they have a wife with diabetes or a kid with asthma..or are ill themselves

[socialist_n_TN]

30. Then perhaps they shouldn't be in a position to be .......

arrested. It IS a personal decision. However, the only other option is to give in. I'm not comfortable living on my knees.

[nadinbrzezinski]

38. I know nobody teaches labor history anymore

but the people who took to the streets for the eight hour day were willing to DIE for it. The stakes were much higher... if they could do it...

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. The contract has already been violated in WI...

so yes, a general strike is going to happen, and this is the LAST thing these assholes expect.

[socialist_n_TN]

39. Good point nadin. If this law passes that means the........

state has BROKEN the contract thereby nullifying it.

[1776Forever]

17. From A Force More Powerful.com this is where Solidarity started:

POLAND - WE'VE CAUGHT GOD BY THE ARM

http://www.aforcemorepowerful.org/films/afmp/stories/poland.php

In August 1980 workers at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk decide to strike, to protest food price increases. For years many workers have wanted the right to organize their own free trade unions, separate from the Communist Party that runs the country. Now they make that goal their number one demand.

Led by Lech Walesa and other veterans of earlier workers' protests, the strikers decide to occupy the shipyard instead of marching into the city and inviting a confrontation with troops. Spreading news of their action to other enterprises on the Baltic coast, they organize an inter-factory committee to negotiate with party leaders and demand that the talks be broadcast on television. Eventually the regime grants most of their demands, and a new independent organization, Solidarity, is born.

After the regime imposes martial law, Solidarity goes underground - but eventually it is legalized and invited to negotiate the basis for free elections, which it wins.

(more at link)

[Blacksheep214]

18. Walker sees himself as Reagan

So a PATCO type response would be forthcoming.

Read the responses to any article at jsonline.com and it's like a different world.

They would also need to be prepared for the Guard to be called in, but imagine the sanitation workers and I can't see the guard running the sewage treatment plants. I wouldn't trust them running the water treatment plants either.

Got crypto (again)?

[reformist2]

20. Strike now. Win. Nip this in the bud.

If we lose this in Wisconsin, this will embolden Republicans to enact their rollback of progressive reforms nationwide.

We have to nip this in the bud - now.

[lovuian]

23. I think the Workers need a Nationwide strike day

to emphasize the need for the government to give jobs to this kids out there

[yurbud]

31. how about a simple message too: Wall Street broke America, make THEM pay to fix it!

[OneGrassRoot]

37. Bam! :) n/t

[lunasun]

24. They should go full Europe on him

but considering America's jobless rate scabs would be easy to get It could backfire and could create a bigger divide among the middle class there. This aint no France or Italy we are talking Wisc the public support may not hold up

[revolutionnow45]

33. There is no doubt who will win this in the end

The patriotic citizens of Wisconsin will never give up, never.