Fitchburg Mayor Blasts GOP Anti-worker Legislation, SB 44

Fitchburg Mayor Shawn Pfaff joined a united front of progressives and other working-family groups to oppose the GOP's free-rider legislation, known as the right to work bill being pushed by Scott Walker.

The bill is called Senate Bill 44.

"I am deeply concerned about the state legislature considering right to work legislation this week. This measure will have a lasting and detrimental impact on Fitchburg's working families. Throughout our nation’s history, unions have made our nation stronger by empowering middle class families," said Pfaff in a statement. "As a former member of two public employee unions, I personally know the positive economic impacts they bring. Instead of taking up this controversial measure, I encourage lawmakers to focus on legislation that will make key investments that help working families like raise the minimum wage, expand worker training programs and restore funding to the University of Wisconsin system."

Rallies are planned at the state capitol today at Noon, as civil rights and working families groups pressure GOP legislators.

The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform is holding a public hearing today at 10:00 a.m. on SB 44.

The right to work legislation is supported only by Wisconsin Republicans and is unanimously opposed by Wisconsin Democrats.

For years, Scott Walker said publicly he had no interest in supporting right to work legislation, (WPR) while behind closed doors was taped saying he would "divide and conquer" Wisconsin working families and support so-called right to work as he discussed his political future with billionaire, Diane Hendricks in 2011. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) Video is below:

Wisconsin AFL-CIO: Statement regarding the call for an extraordinary session of the Legislature to take up "Right to Work" legislation.

"Right to Work rings a false promise for Wisconsin. Right to Work will not create jobs and will lower wages for all workers," said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. “Every worker suffers when states enact anti-worker Right to Work laws. Rushing this legislation through in an extraordinary session is a slap in the face to our democracy.” “Right to Work is wrong for all workers and the entire middle class. Right to Work cripples the fundamental right of every American to join together, stick together and have a meaningful voice in the workplace,” said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. “The Republican leadership has decided to pursue an ideology over the needs of Wisconsin families. Right to Work legislation is part of a national anti-worker agenda that won’t bring one job to our state or help a single family put food on the table. Instead, it’s an attempt to end unions as we know them. It’s time for the Republicans to close the ALEC playbook, say no to out-of-state extremists and start thinking about the people they’ve been elected to serve—Wisconsin’s working families.”