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US Protesters Counter Austerity, Anti-Union Proposals

   Nico Colombant | Washington  February 26, 2011
   Pro-union protesters rally in Washington

Photo: VOA - N. Colombant

   Pro-union  protesters  rally  in Washington for union rights and speak
   out against austerity measures, Feb. 26, 2011

   Protests  have  taken place in state capitals across the United States
   to  denounce proposed federal austerity measures as well as anti-union
   curbs.

   Hundreds  of  protesters  chanted  âWe  are united, save the dreamâ in
   Washingtonâs Dupont Circle as part of a countrywide pro-union protest.

   One  of  the protesters, Ellen Murphy, said she was worried about many
   state   proposals   by  newly-elected  governors  which  would  reduce
   negotiation rights of public worker unions.

   "These  governors want to take everything away. They just want to say,
   well  you can be a union, but you canât do anything. You can just wear
   fancy  tee-shirts that say union on them but you are not going to have
   any rights," she said.

   One  of  the podium speakers, Jeff Blum, from the pro-union grassroots
   group  U.S.  Action, said protesters should seize the moment and fight
   for more union rights in the private sector as well.

   âLet  me  be  loud  and clear. When we have stronger unions, they will
   make  corporations  share their wealth with the people who create that
   wealth,  their  workers,  and  not just the bankers and the hedge fund
   managers  and  the  greedy executives who loot the company and pollute
   the planet," he said.

   He reminded protesters that it was because of historical union efforts
   that most workers at the rally had the day off on a Saturday.

   The  state  where  the  anti-union  proposals  have  garnered the most
   attention  has  been Wisconsin, where Republican Governor Scott Walker
   wants to allow union bargaining only on limited wage increases.

   He  says the move is part of much needed spending saving measures amid
   soaring  deficits  at  all  levels  of  government.  Wisconsinâs state
   Assembly approved his plan early Friday.

   But  Democrats  have prevented a vote from taking place in the stateâs
   senate by hiding in nearby states.

   At   the  national  level,  Republicans,  who  control  the  House  of
   Representatives  following  last yearâs election, have approved a bill
   that  would  cut  about $60 billion in federal spending. Democrats who
   remain  in  control  of  the U.S. Senate say they want to make cuts as
   well,  but not as many, while 9 percent of Americaâs workforce remains
   unemployed.

   In  Washington,  Saturday, a side protest also took place, calling for
   higher taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, rather than cuts
   in social services.

   Stina  Janssen,  a  community  educator, was one of those distributing
   pamphlets.
   âIt makes me really afraid when I see that so many vital and necessary
   public  services  are  getting  cut.  Then I learned a little bit more
   about our budget and realized that a lot of the reasons we have such a
   big deficit is because of corporate tax avoidance," she said.

   President  Barack Obama and his Democratic Party have until March 4 to
   reach  a  temporary  or  final  yearly budget plan with Republicans to
   avoid the shutdown of some government services.

   With  current spending, the U.S. national deficit is projected to rise
   to  above $1.6 trillion this year. Republicans say government needs to
   become smaller and companies more competitive, while Democrats say the
   government  needs  to  play  a vital role as the economy continues its
   recovery.

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