(The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following on June 15, 2011.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today said the Wisconsin Supreme Court set a dangerous precedent by stripping government workers of their collective bargaining rights.
The court on Tuesday upheld the backroom tactics of extremist state lawmakers by ruling the anti-worker bill shall become law. In a 4-3 decision, justices overturned Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi’s injunction against the law despite overwhelming evidence that lawmakers broke Wisconsin’s Open Meetings law.
“The Supreme Court has destroyed the rights of Wisconsin citizens – both their collective bargaining rights and their right to hold their elected representatives accountable,” Hoffa said. “The court’s partisan majority has given the governor and the Legislature unchecked power to punish their political enemies and reward the billionaires and the Wall Street speculators who funded their rise to power.
“Wisconsin’s citizens will now redouble their efforts to restore their democratic rights. This decision will only strengthen their resolve to win back the Senate this summer and to recall Scott Walker next year. In 202 days, Walker will learn that there are far more teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers and truck drivers in Wisconsin than there are CEOs and billionaires.
“Walker has shown the world the greed and corruption behind the attacks on unions. Citizens of Wisconsin – and America – are rightfully disgusted by the political class that’s addicted to corporate money and puts the wealthy ahead of working people.”
Hoffa and Teamsters throughout the country have been active in fighting back against the coordinated war on workers. For more information, visit:www.teamster.org or www.stopthewaronworkers.org, visit TeamsterNation on Twitter and join the official Teamsters group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters or www.facebook.com/stopthewaronworkers.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.