UNISONActive is an unofficial blog produced by UNISON activists for UNISON activists. Bringing news, briefings and events from a progressive left perspective.

Wednesday, 9 March 2011

'America is not broke': Moore backs Wisconsin workers

"America is not broke. Not by a long shot. The country is awash in wealth and cash. It's just that it's not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the uber-rich", Michael Moore told 50,000 protestors in Wisconsin on Saturday. See the video here.

As the Daily Page reports,"Moore delivered a rousing speech full of invective toward the ruling class. There was nothing surprising about that. What was surprising is that his speech was received, seemingly from every quarter of the crowd -- estimated from the podium at 50,000 and by police as "tens of thousands" -- with thunderous applause."

And in an open letter Moore praised the fight against Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker's attempts to eliminate almost all collective bargaining rights for most public workers as well as slash their pay and benefits. For 16 days trade unionists, including police and fire workers, had occupied the Wisconsin state Capitol building in protest, winning huge public support.

"I can't express enough the level of admiration I have for the people of Wisconsin who, for three weeks, have braved the brutal winter cold and taken over their state Capitol. All told, literally hundreds of thousands of people have made their way to Madison to make their voices heard", he said.

The state Senate has not been able to vote on Walker's bill because 14 Democratic senators left the state in protest, meaning there can be no quorum for the vote.

Read a report on the campaign from a UNISONActive reader in the USA here http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2011/02/massive-public-sector-cuts-and-threats.html