On February 11th, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Republican state legislators introduced legislation to end collective bargaining for public employees on the premise that the attack on unions was motivated by budgetary concerns. Within a week, tens of thousands of public employees and labor supporters were demonstrating daily in the capital of Madison. On February 18th, shortly before the vote was scheduled to be held, fourteen Democratic Wisconsin Senators left the state to prevent a quorum for the vote.

Protests and solidarity rallies have since spread across Wisconsin, the wider Midwest, and throughout the U.S. Protesters say that investment is needed to create decent jobs for the millions of people who desperately want to work. They point out that neither workers nor unions caused the budget crisis and demand that the rich and powerful pay their fair share.

On February 26th, rallies were held in over 50 U.S. cities as part of a national day of action. At rallies in Sacramento, San Francisco, Fresno, and San Diego, demonstrators stood in solidarity with the people of Wisconsin. They demanded an end to the attacks on workers' rights and public services across the country.

On March 11th, Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature used a parliamentary procedure to end-run past the boycotting Senate Democrats and passed the union-busting elements of the bill. Labor supporters continue to demonstrate and are collecting signatures for recalling eight Republican state senators.

February 26th Rallies
San Francisco: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video | Event Announcement
Sacramento: 1 | 2
Fresno: Photos
San Diego: Photos

February 22nd Rallies
Sacramento: 1 | 2 | Event Announcement
Oakland: Event Announcement
San Rafael: Event Announcement

See Also: Clarence Thomas ILWU Local 10 on Internationalism, KORUS and Wisconsin | Battleground Wisconsin: Corporate Power v. Worker Rights | Corporate Coup d'Etat in Wisconsin | Wisconsin Unions Vote to Prepare a General Strike | Nationwide Student Walkout | Wisconsin State Senate voted Today to end End Collective Bargaining! | Why Reject Concessions in Wisconsin | Wisconsin Democrats Plan Capitulation | Waging War on Working Americans | Reactionary Extremism in Wisconsin | Why we should picket the AFL/CIO Western Conference on April 9 | Looking Toward Wisconsin: An Interview With A Participant From Milwaukee | Spreading Activism for Change | Why All Workers Should Support Unions | Hidden Provisions in Wisconsin Bill | Wisconsin's Spirit: Courage for Other States to Emulate | Wisconsin Courage | Union Busting in America | Governer Scott Wilson busted by prank call from blogger pretending to David Koch | 2/23/11 Updates on Wisconsin Labor Struggle | Wisconsin: Ground Zero to Save Public Worker Rights | Live Reporting from the Wisconsin Protests | Waging War on Chicago Workers | Where did the money go Gov. Walker? | Tea Party Stooges Join Wisconsin Protests | To Win, Prepare to Strike Wisconsin! | WI: Labor leaders drag out Jesse Jackson, intensify efforts to temper protests (TCIMC) | Wisconsin Teachers Take a Stand | How to Win in Wisconsin and Beyond | Wisconsin Labor Leads 2d American Revolution | US Workers: Resurgent or Waging a Rearguard Action? | Union leaders want to limit the goals as Wisconsin protests grow | The Wisconsin Uprising | Egypt's Spirit Lands in Wisconsin | Call to act in support of Wisconsin Workers and Students | Wisconsin Gov. bans collective bargaining 4 public sector employees/massive protests erupt