(Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters press release, July 19, 2011)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said Wisconsin state Sen. Dave Hansen’s win tonight was a historic victory in the battle to restore America’s middle class.
Hansen, a member of Teamsters Local 662 in Green Bay, won easily over his Republican challenger in Wisconsin’s first general recall election. The recall elections held this summer resulted from extremist Republican politicians voting to strip government workers of their collective bargaining rights.
“In Madison this winter, Teamsters said they’d hold the line for the middle class and that’s exactly what this Teamster did,” Hoffa said. “Dave Hansen courageously left Wisconsin to prevent an anti-union vote, and extremists couldn’t stand it so they forced a recall. I’m so pleased that the voters in Dave’s district understand that he stands for organized labor because organized labor stands for them.
“This isn’t just about Wisconsin,” Hoffa said. “This is about truck drivers and nurses and teachers fighting back against a corporate conspiracy to destroy unions. This is about Main Street rising up and telling billionaires that it’s time for them to pay their fair share. This is about restoring the American Dream for working families.
“I hope this is the beginning of a movement that carries on through the rest of the recall elections and beyond Wisconsin,” Hoffa said.
In recall elections on Aug. 9, six Republican state senators who voted against unions will face Teamster-endorsed, Democratic senators. Final recall elections will be held on Aug. 16, when the two remaining Democratic state senators face off against Republican challengers. Should the Democrats gain three seats, they will control the Senate.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.Teamster.org.