Rhode Island NEA Condemns ‘Union Busting’ in Wisconsin
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Rhode Island NEA issued a statement yesterday expressing solidarity with public sector employees in Wisconsin and condemning what it described as an effort to “destroy” the relationship between labor and management.
“What is happening right now in Wisconsin is historic,” said Rhode Island NEA spokeswoman Karen Jenkins. “Unprecedented numbers of citizens are gathering to voice their support for the third grade teacher who stays late to help a student with math - for the nurses who work every day to care for patients - for the firefighters who keep them safe -- and for the snow plow drivers who plow streets through the night so their neighbors can get to work in the morning. These public workers are on the front lines every day serving their state and they should have a say in their profession.”
She added: “This protest is about public sector employees retaining a voice in their profession and Wisconsin's future. The proposed legislation strips away worker rights and destroys the collaborative partnerships that have been established between labor and management in Wisconsin. It's not about pay and benefits, pensions and health care.
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Silencing the voices of public sector employees by engaging in union busting is not a going to help Wisconsin move forward - and it will only divide the people of this state. NEARI and its 11,000 members stand in support of unionized public employees of Wisconsin, and in particular, our fellow educators who are members of WEAC (Wisconsin Education Association Council).”