why a wisconsin strike is legal

[rdking647]

this is the definition of a strike
wis stat 111.70(1)nm
Strike" includes any strike or other concerted stoppage of work by municipal employees, and any concerted slowdown or other concerted interruption of operations or services by municipal employees, or any concerted refusal to work or perform their usual duties as municipal employees, for the purpose of enforcing demands upon a municipal employer. Such conduct by municipal employees which is not authorized or condoned by a labor organization constitutes a "strike", but does not subject such labor organization to the penalties under this subchapter. This paragraph does not apply to collective bargaining units composed of municipal employees who are engaged in law enforcement or fire fighting functions.

any strike would be trying to force demands on the legislature.. they are not a "municipal employer". the teachers et all work for individual cities and school districts. they are not trying to force anything on their employer so its not an illegal strike

[nebenaube]

1. Actually, read page 16, item 3...

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/2011-13%20Budget/2011_03_09%20Modification%20to%20SS%20SB%2011_AB%2011.pdf

[rdking647]

4. state of emergency

the governor would have to declare a state of emergency . that soe cant last more than 60 days. the soe has do be because of a disaster or immenient threat of a disaster. in addition it says interrupt the service of state government.. alot of these are provided by local governemts not state government.

[midnight]

12. This is some interesting reading.... I wonder who wrote this for Wiscosnin?

[randr]

2. Remember--All strikes were illegal until we went on strike!

[Brickbat]

3. At this point, no one should be worrying about "legal" or "illegal' anymore.

This has moved past that.

[MedleyMisty]

5. +1

Laws made by corrupt people in a corrupt society mean nothing.

[TBF]

8. thank you. K&R your post. nt

[Warpy]

6. Not only that, the lege voided all their contracts

when it passed the union busting laws. The unions no longer have to uphold their end of the deal, part of which is a no strike provision. Their jobs are not a jail and they can walk out any time.

No one strikes if there is an alternative. The Wisconsin Republicans left them no alternative.

(I'm sure there will be places to donate to strike funds when it gets going. I intend to be generous)

[FBaggins]

9. No alternative?

I doubt that most of them would agree with you.

The alternative is to take the salary hit and live to fight another day. There's nothing here that can't be undone at the ballot box if the people are with them. I'd bet that the vast majority would have more energy for THAT fight than to give up their jobs and take the chance of public opinion turning against them.

[Warpy]

10. Do you honestly think anybody from either party

will be willing to give up that kind of power, especially with the corporate (metaphorical) gun to his or her head?

The recall also has to be done, Walker has to be out of there and the Koch brothers will have to go fight other battles. However, unless there is a good reason to overturn their mischief, it will stand.

[FBaggins]

11. If that's the issue that wins them an election, yes.

You're saying that democrats were willing to leave the state to avoid the bill passing, but wouldn't vote to undo it if that's the issue that puts them back in power?

In other circumstances I would agree (it isn't as if democrats around the country are fighting for these rights where they don't already exist), but in WI I disagree.

[FBaggins]

7. It's not necessarily a strike, but the distinction probably doesn't matter.

I made essentially this same point a few weeks ago when the teachers in WI "called in sick". They're forbidden from striking, but this wasn't a strike, it was a political action.

The problem is that their jobs aren't protected in such a case. Yes, you have a right to assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances... but that doesn't mean that your employer needs to pay you while you're doing it, nor continue to employ you if you stay out.

Additionally, it becomes a strike if the unions vote to hold one, and that's the only way that a significant walkout would happen. So the point becomes moot.