Waxing Wisconsin

"The next time you're puzzled by the behavior of a colleague or prospect, consider the reason might have nothing to do with the situation and everything to do with who is making the decision and what they bring to it." Seth Godin

This quote resonates with me as I think about the situation occurring in Wisconsin. What do the Republican governor and Republican politicians bring to the table in this ongoing dispute? In a word? Control.

This dispute seeks to strip public employees of their right to collectively bargain or negotiate their employee contracts. The collective bargaining process is a regulated series of steps, a process. There are legal rules in beginning the process and in how the entire process is carried out.

The governor of Wisconsin seeks to strip the rights of employees to bargain, collect dues from constituents or form a union in the state of Wisconsin. In effect this turns the clock back to the early 20th century when employees could be mistreated in any fashion by their employers. The 8 hour workday, weekend, vacation pay, sick days, health care and more all came about through the collective bargaining process.

It's not the law abiding American union public employee who works a 40 hour week, pays his taxes, raises his children and votes who is the enemy here. The American union worker is not the villain who caused this economy to tumble and almost crash.

Collectively bargaining for better working conditions and pay is not the reason America stands at the crossroads of becoming a #2,3,or 4 power in this world. The decisions of a Gov. Walker and those like him who have shipped American jobs to China,India and other third world countries who don't pay their workers a living wage that is the culprit here. It's not the teacher, fireman, custodian, janitor, policeman, sanitation man or any public employee that keeps this nation running smoothly while you try to pull the rug from underneath their feet.

If you think we're going to stand by and let this happen, you better think again.