Mark Pocan, Zamarripa Stand with Striking Workers of Palermo Pizza

Mark Pocan and a united front keep up the fight for workers, dedicated to the idea that work is dignity and an extension of our fellows' humanity.

Said Pocan, "My fellow Assembly Democrats and I led the charge to restore collective bargaining to public employees - I firmly support the rights of workers to form a union wherever they may work."

Pocan gets supplies for striking Palermo workers
Photo: Susan Cohen

Pocan and 100s across the state helped collect supplies this week, including non-perishables, water, sunscreen and cash donations, in support of the Workers striking at Palermo’s Pizza on Milwaukee south side, where workers are organizing unfazed by Scott Walker, the Koch brothers and the $10s of millions poured into the state to stop this most elemental human right—the right to belong to a free trade union.”

Mark Pocan, state rep for the 79th assembly district, is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the second congressional district.

"One of the most elemental human rights—the right to belong to a free trade union," said Ronald Reagan in his Christmas address to the nation on December 23, 1981.

That's right.

Wisconsin State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa
(D-8th Assembly District, Milwaukee)

"Pocan solicited donations for non-perishable food items and household needs from supporters via Facebook and then personally drove and delivered them to the workers Wednesday afternoon," noted Madison writer, Emily Mills.

Added JoCasta Zamarripa (D-8th assembly district, Milwaukee) who represent a district on the south side of Milwaukee: "I attended an event to benefit the striking workers of Palermo's Pizza. I am in full support of the workers and believe that they have the right to vote to organize a union."

It is my hope that they will be free to cast this vote without fear of reprisals or any anti-union tactics."

"I believe that the management of Palermo's should meet with the workers and allow them this vote. It is their federal and constitutional right to assemble and to vote to form a union. I stand fully, behind that effort."

Sole Latino Wisconsin Rep, Zamarripa, Hits Partisan Redistricting

 State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa  

Virtually no local, public input; Latino community excluded
Milwaukee—Wisconsin's only Latino member of the state legislature blasted the Republican redistricting plan Senate Bill 148 (SB 148) expressing outrage that the scheme excluded public input on both the local level and communities of interest including Latinos.

"Seven days ago only one hearing was held on this massive plan that impacts every single citizen of our great state," said State Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee, 8th Assembly District). "The GOP leadership allowed virtually no public input and passed this plan through both houses of the Legislature only one week after the public hearing."

Additionally, members of the Latino community in Milwaukee, who were able make it to Madison, on short notice expressed anger and disgust with the GOP redistricting process, said Zamarripa. "One Latino activist, Juan Carlos Ruiz, spoke passionately about how Latino’s of all political stripes came together on the local level to work on redistricting but were completely left out of the state process."

In order to satisfy their own thirst for a partisan monopoly, the majority party has thrown Wisconsin’s growing Latino community under the bus," said Zamarripa.

"On Saturday, it was reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Governor Walker wanted to work with Democrats," said Zamarripa. "A veto of the blatantly partisan SB 148 is an excellent starting point if the Governor is serious about working with Democrats."