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COPE

The Committee on Polical Education are AFT and AFT-WI committees to educate members on candidates who support issues that are important to our member

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AFT-W ENDORSEMENTS as of July 19, 2010

Statewide:
Tom Barrett* (Governor)
Spencer Coggs* (Lieutenant Governor)
Scott Hassett * (Attorney General)

Madison:
Andy Jorgenson (AD 37)
Fred Clark (AD 42)
Kim Hixson (AD 43)
Trish O’Neil* (AD 47)
John Simonson* (AD 51)
Dianne Hasselbein* (AD 77)
Janice Ringhand (AD 80)
Kelda Roys (AD 81)

As we get closer to election day, AFT-W will be highlighting various candidates' positions on issues important to our members. In this issue, we will look at Scott Walker's position on health care. Scott Walker is currently the County Executive of Milwaukee and the leading Republican candidate for Governor.

Just in time for the start of the school year, Scott Walker began running a TV ad touting his campaign promise to eliminate school employees' right to bargain over health care. Walker is proposing to allow school boards to have the unilateral right to eliminate health care coverage for school district employees without negotiating with the union. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Walker's plan would give school boards…the ability to join the state health insurance pool even if unions object."

In the same Journal Sentinel article, a Walker spokesperson said, "The way the proposal would work is we would take the choice out of the collective bargaining process."

For years, public employees have negotiated with their employers for quality health care, often times giving up salary increases for that quality health care. Scott Walker is proposing forcing employees give up their health care without a say. This is a blatant disregard for employees, and for the collective bargaining process.

If Scott Walker is proposing that school districts have the right to make all decisions on health care, we can only assume that he will propose the same for tech colleges, and will mandate health care changes for UW and state employees. Despite our differences with various administrations, Democrats and Republicans alike, previous governors have respected the collective bargaining process. What Scott Walker is proposing is a blatant disregard for the rights of workers, and the sacrifices that many have made throughout the years.

We hope you will keep Scott Walker's position on health care in mind when you vote on November 2nd.

For months, the political pundits have talked about an "enthusiasm gap" between the tea party movement and the pro-labor movement. So-called experts are predicting that conservative tea party candidates will sweep into power because their supporters are more energized about this election than we are.

We cannot afford to sit idly by and let the tea party candidates destroy all that we have worked for. No doubt about it, these candidates are running against public employees; they are running against our members. They have put a target on our salaries and benefits. They are committed to taking away our right to collectively bargain over health care; they want to eliminate teacher licensure; they want to reopen corporate loopholes; they want to take away our pensions. We must be energized by these threats, and we must turn our members out to vote in high numbers if we are going to win in November.

Every weekend union members from around the state go door-to-door to talk to fellow union members about the threats we face. AFT continues to have one of the largest turnouts in the state, but we need your help to continue that momentum. To volunteer with our political program, please click here.

Your AFT-Wisconsin Committee on Political Education (COPE) and executive board have voted to recommended Dianne Hesselbein for Wisconsin State Assembly in the Democratic Primary.

Dianne is running in a five-way Democratic primary in Wisconsin State Assembly District 77, the seat currently held by Spencer Black, who is retiring.

AFT-Wisconsin generally makes endorsements in primary races only when we feel that a candidate will be exceptionally strong on our agenda - that they'll not only "vote right," but will be a champion on the issues that matter to our members.

Dianne Hesselbein is such a candidate. Her endorsement received a unanimous vote of both the COPE delegates and the AFT-Wisconsin executive board because we believe she will be a tirelessly advocate for our membership in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Specifically:

• Hesselbein will be a champion for our state employees. She will lead the fight to end costly outsourcing schemes and keep public projects in the hands of public employees.
• Hesselbein is an advocate of public education. Believing "quality education is an important right, not a selective privilege," Hesselbein will fight for an education funding formula that puts Wisconsin students first.
  
• Hessebein supports our higher education system. As State Representative, she will be a leader in securing full funding for the UW System, assuring that grad workers and all students have the resources we need to succeed.
  
• Hesselbein works for equality. In her experience in local government, she was a leader on passing domestic partner benefits for public employees. She supports equal rights and fair immigration policy.
  

If you would like to find out how you can help elect Dianne Hesselbein, please click here!