The Man who has held WI teachers hostage for 40 years - John Matthews, Professional Union Organizer - image Madison.com
Business Owners who had contributed to Governor Walkers campaign are being sent threatening lettersby the public employees unions.(WTMJ is reporting.). The copy of the “Facsimile and Regular Mail” can be found here at the stations website, and now in PDF form around the web.
Apparently, the brain trust at the public employees union assumes that extortion is only illegal if one is not “taxpayer labor” – and cannot connect the dots between businesses paying taxes, which hire individuals who pay taxes, which allows those who have the best wages and benefits in the nation to exist. One must understand that paid union bosses are not the rank and file – union members’ dues are used to hire “professionals” who then basically run the public employees unions. Therefore, for the most part, the police officers, firefighters and teachers in the State of Wisconsin (as well as those states that allow Public Employee Unions to run unfettered) are not threatening to destroy businesses and potentially ones gainful employment - It is the few professional bunglers who are up to the task.
From the facsimile (Bosses never apparently heard of an e-fax) :
As you also know, Scott Walker did not campaign on this issue when he ran for office. If he had, we are confident that you would not be listed among his largest contributors. As such, we are contacting you now to request your support.
The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17.
In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.
In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to
preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.
Wisconsin’s public employee unions serve to protect and promote equality and fairness in the workplace. We hope you will stand with us and publicly share that ideal.
This was signed by the following individuals: James L Palmer, Professional Police Association, Mahlon Mitchell, Professional Fire Fighters, Joe Conway, International Fire Fighters, John Matthews, Madison Teachers, Inc., Keith Pratt, Green Bay Education Association, Bob Richardson, Dane County Sherriff’s and Dan Frei, Professional Police Officers Association.
Mr. Matthews has represented the 5,500 teachers in WI for over 40 years, and is, for all intents and purposes a paid rabble rouser. Union “Operatives” make in excess of of $100,000, some up to $165,000 per year (via MacLver Institute, U.S. Department of Labor and Guidestar – a database on non-profits such as the SEIU Greater New York Worker Participation Fund)
One cannot argue the need for police and fire personnel to have union representation,(dangerous working conditions) which, said representation should be someone who is from the ranks, and or those who may have retired from the profession.
If one feels the need to become a professional extortionist, merely head over to U Mass or any other public funded university that offers a Masters in union leadership and administration. Visit: www.umass.edu/lrrc/about/limitedresidentila/.
The police, fire and teachers of Madison should be looking to their leadership at this point and asking some serious questions about why their livelihood is run by individuals who are not remotely familiar with the profession (with the exception of perhaps the teachers).
The facts about Governor’ Walkers proposal: Agreed to by unions: a slight increase in the employee contributions for health care and pension. Not agreed to by unions: limited collective bargaining, whereby the public employees unions must by open roll call, reorganize each year, and members are not obligated (forced) to join the union, rather the rank and file are able to “opt out”.
Somehow, the problem the unions have is with the later limits to their power over the rank and file – should enough of the teachers, (specifically) decide to opt out, the unison lose cash – it’s as simple as that – if the unions lose cash and clout – then the Union Directors do not have the wherewithal to make donations to their favorite politicians (which is where that money goes). The Math: (figures are hypothetical – and by way of example: however, it has been reported Madison
WI teachers do earn six figures, and union dues are upward of $1000) if an average Madison WI teacher, earning 100,000 per year, has to fork over union dues of $1000, it’s not a great hardship (thus the grossly inflated salary), however, 5500 teachers forking for $1000 to the union annually – that’s $5,500,000 for Wisconsin Union administration (not rank and file) to do with what they will. If these bright individuals were in charge of one’s pension, one might want to rethink the stability of that pension and start socking away money into an alternative fund. (Outside of the Union)
To recap: the union directors, are shaking down the businesses that, although they did give to a Republican (information available on line as to whom gives to which party/politician), are still paying taxes in WI, their employees are paying taxes in WI, and those taxes – pay the teachers and other Public Employee Unions. Should the businesses decide that Wisconsin is no longer a desirable place to set up shop, and say move over the border, along with their tax contributions, and their employees either do the same or end up on unemployment – everyone loses.
This is beyond reason, and if it were not so sad, to think that our educators are being led by individuals who are so clueless, one might find the entire fiasco of the unison in Madison (and elsewhere for that matter) to be comedic. Is it no wonder the national reading scores are so dismally low?
P.S. The Business sent this letter - which the citizens of WI and elsewhere might want to support:
Mr. Tom Ellis, President
Marshall & Ilsley Corporation
770 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Do Business with: www.micorp.com
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