Union Head Calls On Teachers To Go To Work

Source: AP


MADISON, Wis. -- The head of Wisconsin's powerful teachers' union is calling on educators to return to classrooms Monday and Tuesday rather than continue being absent to protest, which has shut down several school districts.

Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, said during a conference call on Sunday that it was time for her members to return to work. For districts that do not recognize Monday as the President's Day holiday, she said teachers should go to work.

Bell said others should report as scheduled on Tuesday.

Madison and Milwaukee schools shut down last week, as have several other districts, while teachers protest a bill that would take away their ability to collectively bargain for their benefits and working conditions. Many called in sick.

Read more: http://www.channel3000.com/news/26933051/detail.html

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Monday is problematic since it's President's Day.

Wha happum? No more calling in sick?

That's part of their strength.

This is some one who doesn't get it.

win if they go back so soon.

Faux news reporters were scamming(pretending they were teachers) doctors in the protests that were giving out sick excuse notes and recording it.

Unfortunately, most/many/some of those doctors work for the state too(UC-Wisc).

might have not looked too good legally if they kept it up.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/02/20/state/n132209S24.DTL&type=printable

Sounds like there are plenty of others to take their place.

It's what they were hired to do. They chose the profession, they went to school, they got certified, they applied for the jobs, they signed the contracts.

But something bigger happened, and even though they "had" to be there last week, just like the week before and the week before that, they chose to do something other than what they "had" to do, because they "had" to do that something else more than they "had" to be in their classrooms.

What's changed? Has Scott Walker given in to their demands? Has he rescinded the Walmart tax cuts? Has he agreed that collective bargaining rights are off the table? If not, then why should Monday or Tuesday be any different from last Wednesday or Thursday or Friday?




TG

All those whiny teachers and firefighters, you know, living high on the public's dime, they had to show off how pissed they were but really, they're such wimps that they'll go back to work. They can get paid for "sick" days but they don't really want to lose any more of their gravy. Besides, it's cold and boring and the media will find another story pretty soon. And they really don't care about the unions, theirs or anyone else's. They don't care about the middle class, just what they can get for themselves.

And Scott Walker? Aw, he's just like anybody else who would've got elected. So what if he wants to give billions to his corporate friends and stiff the workers? No biggie.



If the Wisconsin unions cave, then it's all over.





TG

Get rid of him.

Pronto!

I wonder how much she is willing to put on the line.

Is she willing to put her wage on the line??
Is she willing to put her pension on the line??
Is she willing to put anything on the line??

:think:

I'm in a union, but it's a very weak union.

the teachers were sent out to protest. From what I understand the teachers did this on their own and the unions got behind them after the fact. So maybe some will still go out and protest defying the order? Or maybe they can arrange alternating times in between schedules just to keep someone there.

Please don't listen to her. You have more important work to do right now. And in the end, the kids will benefit. And this week they can learn about unions and their importance to the working class.

Solidarity forever means forever. Not for a few days while Ed Schulz is in town.

Solidarity means living wages for EVERYONE, not just the fat sycophants on Wall Street.
Solidarity means peace of mind for those who face sudden life changes like illness or accident or death.
Solidarity means a quality education for anyone who wants it and is qualified for it.
Solidarity means standing up for what's right, not what's just convenient.





TG

At this moment this is really their only option. The past week has given visibility to the issue and public opinion FAVORS the teachers now. Another day or two of walk-out and that goodwill would be in peril. The key this week is to continue to have a presence from the other unions during the day and teachers and others return in the evening. This coming weekend is the first weekend of the series of state High School athletic tournaments so the weekends will be key through March and will have a natural sympathetic crowd in town. Maintain during the day, return in the evening and kick ass on the weekends. Also very important is that the Fab 14 stay away. Tomorrow is a mandatory furlough day plus President's Day so the crowd should be solid anyway. A good move by the teacher's union.

Are the cheeseheads that fickle? This is a little bigger than high school tournaments. This could, if continued, become the fire that lights this nation on fire. And this nation desperately needs a national workers revolt.

really...you missed the point. I know Madison well, I know teachers, I know the state of Wisconsin. The worst things the teachers could do is stay out at this point. The high school tournaments can be used as a tool to increase the size and intensity of the protests. With tournaments in town you will have crowds of students and teachers...it will not take much to naturally have larger than normal crowds for the protests. This is a situation that needs finesse not raw emotion. The key here is to have consistent presence from sympathizers and other unions...having Rage against the machine guitarist in for a concert on the square is huge--it will bring students and keep the intensity. The unions cannot win this one without public support.

Well, I got one of the points but missed the point about the crowds at the tourneys.

Either way, she's "doing an Obama", and if the members listen to her they'll be trounced like last year's Dems.

striking workers. I bet the depth of anger in the rank-and-file has these treacherous bureaucrats scared. Their main goal is to keep it contained, while sowing confusion and defeatism among workers. I have no doubt that hectic, behind-the-scenes negotiations are on to best "defuse" the situation. This is their historical M.O. - allow workers to vent their anger harmlessly for a few days and then force everybody to "move-on" to face the next outrage /assault from the bosses while mouthing platitudes about hollow "victories".

Fine let them go back to work and the students back to their classes .....
the fight will continue. In the big picture this is a very smart move.

The right can't say the teachers don't care about their students or the parents
who have to leave work to watch the kids.



¡Vive de largo la revolución de Chedder!

+1 you are absolutely right. I'd love it if the teachers stayed out--but it would destroy the movement. We need to keep up the pressure and we need committments from teachers to come back at the end of the school day (and the students.) The TAs have been great...the firefighters have been huge--and the capitol MUST continue to be occupied.

In the long run it will increase the pressure on Walker & Company because the right
has already been pumping out lies that the teachers who left their schools to take
part in the protests aren't good people and don't care about their students.

BTW Welcome to DU!

Source: WP

MADISON, Wis. -- The head of Wisconsin's powerful teachers' union is calling on educators to return to classrooms Monday and Tuesday rather than continue being absent to protest an anti-union bill at the state Capitol.

The protests against a bill that would take away public workers' right to collectively bargain for their benefits and working conditions forced several school districts to shut down last week after teachers called in sick to join demonstrators in Madison.

Mary Bell is president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. She said on Sunday that it's time for her members to return to work. For districts that do not recognize Monday as the President's Day holiday, she said teachers should go to work. Others should report as scheduled on Tuesday.

Bell says teachers will continue opposing the proposal.




Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/20/AR2011022002423.html

monumental blunder. Withhold your Labor until you get what came to the fight for. No retreat no surrender.

Either she is herself a right-winger, or someone paid her off. I thought the presidents first 10-12 cave-ins ere "blunders", but now I am pretty sure he's a Reaganite. Same thing might be happening here.

In the long run staying away helps them more.

now participating in what could be a historical moment for this country. What could be more important than showing them that if you want to keep your democracy you MUST fight for it.

A week off school will not harm them. But caving to an authoritarian bully will ruin their future and their perception of how much work is involved in defending democracy from its ever-present enemies, within.

Striking is illegal for those public workers. If they strike I fear the Gov would fire them ala Reagan and the ATC. You know how these right wingers love to emulate Reagan.

We won't turn into Egypt after all.

on strike, until the fool in the Gov. Mansion learns a lesson.

God I hate these people who snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It never fails that one of them will show up trying to show how 'reasonable' they are in the face of thugs who will not give them any credit for returning to work.

They have them on the run. Whoever this person is should start hearing from us. Bad, bad idea!

Doing so would open them up to being fired.

It's really a matter of figuring out what would be the greater loss at this point.

but i'd rather at least still have a job.

It's a tough bind, though, if they didn't fight somehow, I have no doubts that they'd keep dealing with more and more cuts, eventually getting to the point that being unemployed might be a better choice (for their mental and physical health).

Just threatening to do so in support of the teachers, would have an enormous effect. Marching is fine, but these bastards need to feel the pain in order for them to back down and they count on the fact that people are too afraid of losing their jobs etc. to actually have any impact. What they need is a lesson now, a lesson that tells them 'enough'.

credo.

After all, the union officials asked the teachers to return to work, pretty please ;^)

Can't hold them responsible now, can you?

Why would the Governor give in if he knows everyone is going to quit striking anyways?

Madison and he worries because if they violate theirr contracts (teachers hav a no strike clause) they could lose their current benefits. He doesn't sound too optimistic about turning the whole mess around but he's been in the rotunda and participating. He is, like many others, feeling disoriented and shocked--just like the Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.

lose as well. Just when it looked like we had a chance. The rethugs never quit.

Go back to show that you expressed your will but don't want to disrupt parents and then if nothing changes do real strike.

anyone who can take a few days off work and can get to wisconsin needs to go.
rotating shifts of protesters need to inundate the capitol buildings until the elected officials there respond to the cries of democracy.

blanket to be thrown on any other demonstrations that might have sprung up

They fold when they have a winning hand. You have to wonder if this woman wasn't threatened or bribed into saying something so counter-productive.

Fine let them go back to work and the students back to their classes .....
the fight will continue. In the big picture this is a very smart move.

The right can't say the teachers don't care about their students or the parents
who have to leave work to watch the kids.



¡Vive de largo la revolución de Chedder!

Forget about the right, PLEASE!! Every time there is near victory we get this argument 'ooooh, what will the right think of us'. Here's the answer, they HATE us and they always will and it wouldn't matter if we gave them a million dollars each they would take it and they would still hate us. AND I DON'T CARE about them!!

See how they hate Obama no matter how he bends over backwards for them??

The day we decide that they are IRRELEVANT! A FRINGE ELEMENT that the left is foolishly trying to please, or fears their disapproval or whatever this sickness is that infects the left, is the day we will win.

The teachers and students MUST stay out of school, what they are doing is so much more important and if they lose this moment, we lose the war. This is about preserving this country's democracy against Corporate bullies who will not stop if they win this one.

Please, never worry about the right. They really are the enemy. I ignore them, I don't care about them, they only have relevance because we give it to them. Now, let's take away that relevance and put them were they belong, in the thrash-heap of history.

Sorry, few things anger me more than sucking up to the right, worrying what they 'might say about us'. THEY DON'T MATTER.

It will make the right wingers look even more out of the loop.

The Teachers and the students stood tall and proud and now all he parents
and families can see that the teachers have the people's back.

are you one of the ones who's been cheering the president's "3D Chess" for two years while the Repukes walked all over him?

beginning of victory for the Koch brothers and their paid front in the governor's office.

Read this message from the people of Egypt to the people of Madison.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x467362

Do you think it would have been a smart move for them to have returned to their jobs and schools BEFORE the won when they were asked to do so??

Weak suggestion, but I will not be surprised if the left caves again. And then they will wonder how they came so close and yet lost. It's always the same.

Screw school, a few days out of school is not a big deal at all. Why they concern?? What will be accomplished by caving at this point?

There should MORE strikes, everything should be thrown at these people. THEY will not cave, that's for sure, they will have to be forced to do so. If we haven't learned that by now, I give up!

being "reasonable" does not win anything when those you are dealing with aren't being reasonable.
the uber-class hates us and will stop at nothing to destroy whatever economic and political gains that we have achieved. it is a constant struggle and we need to keep up the pressure when its on our side.
being "reasonable" in this situation makes workers look tamed. crack the whip and we all return to our stations.

They're deciding whether to stay out or not.

Apparently they've already had one vote that was too close to determine the majority feeling.

A decision should come soon.

This past week they flexed their muscles. They showed Walker and the State Senators they mean business, surprising them.

Our side needs to win the PR battle. Currently, the Walker supporters are claiming the teachers "don't care about the kids" by not showing up for work. Fair arguement or not, it's sticking.

The State Senate Dems can take over from here.

Others in this thread point out that the fight is lost if the teachers return to work. I'm in Wisconsin, please keep in mind this is not the only fight. The Republicans can be re-called. Efforts have begun to re-call the Dems who are in Illinois. Swing voters determine who wins elections. We need to swing voters to be our on side. Take way the right-wing talking points.

about what anyone thought, they had a goal and were willing to die for it. It will take that kind of commitment to win this battle for this country. The children and teachers of all these countries fighting against the oppression and corruption in their countries, didn't worry about being out of school for however long it took. If they had this atttitude, Mubarak and Ben Ali et al would have had nothing to worry about.

This is the weakness of the left. Always worried about how things look. If they go back, instead of showing strength and standing firm, the right will view it as weakness and they will win.

Some things require a fierce commitment and people's rights that are being threatened, is one of those things.

For crying out loud, there are people in Egypt buying pizzas for the protesters. The people in Egypt! Okay, okay, so maybe it's some retired Wisconsin teacher living in Cairo who called in the pizza order, but how does it look to the world if the teachers give up?

They took this on a week or so ago, and the fight hasn't been won. Walker is still gonna push his agenda, the pukes in the state senate are still gonna vote for it as soon as they have a quorum.

I'm sorry, I'm really sorry that some teachers might get fired or lose their benefits. THEY'D LOSE THOSE BENEFITS ANYWAY IF WALKER GETS HIS WAY! Do you think he's gonna forget this? Do you think any of the pukes in the state, the counties, the school districts will forget? You don't go into the boss's office and call him an asshole when he won't give you a raise and expect no repercussions.

Maybe it started out with the teachers, but it spread further. I know they have families and mortgages and car payments and student loans. They had families and mortgages and car payments and student loans a week ago, too. Everything that mattered a week ago, does it no longer matter?

Why is no one really willing to fight, especially -- ESPECIALLY -- those who have a real chance of winning? Can you hear me, President Obama???!!!

Why are so many worried about what the right wing haters will say? WHO GIVES A FUCKING SHIT WHAT RUSH LIMBAUGH THINKS OR SAYS? No matter what the protesters do, Limbaugh will find a way to smear them. NO MATTER WHAT. If they stay out protesting, he'll call them whiners and freeloaders; if they go back to work he'll call them whiners and wimps. BUT IN THE SECOND CASE HE'LL BE CORRECT. Do you really want to give Limbaugh & Company the opportunity to call us wimps and us have no recourse???

Maybe the teachers didn't intend to become the leaders of a revolution. Maybe that role got thrust upon them. But maybe that's the rule of unintended consequences. THEY DID IT, and they have to live with the results.

I've always had the utmost respect for teachers, and there are many people who have told me I should have been one. I still revere two of my own teachers: Patricia Quast, fifth grade, Ridge School, Arlington Heights, IL; and Charles Schlereth, Spanish III and IV, Arlington High School. My son-in-law is a teacher, and he had to change schools a few years ago because he was too liberal for the conservative district he was teaching in. But it's always seemed to me that teachers, by the very nature of their job, have to set an example not only by what they teach but how they teach and how they live. I'm not talking about the "old days" when female teachers had to quit when they were pregnant or any teacher could get fired if they were seen entering or leaving a bar. I'm talking about honesty and integrity and responsibility and accountability.

The teachers of Wisconsin knew they were taking a risk when they "called in sick." They knew the risk was growing the longer they stayed out sick. The risk isn't miraculously going to go away now. But they also have to face the fact that their actions have raised hopes in a whole lot of other people. Their actions have spurred the head of one of the law enforcement unions that backed Walker to rescind that support. You think there isn't gonna be backlash? And what about the disappointment and disgust if this all comes to naught, if Ohio and Kansas and Florida and New Jersey and all those other states start voiding collective bargaining agreements with public employee unions?

There won't be any going back. The unions will be busted, the individual union members will have lost their collective strength, the elections will be controlled by the Kochs and Broads.

Maybe it did get bigger than the teachers anticipated. But if they back out now, if they say oops, we didn't really mean it Gov. Walker and we'd like to make nice with you now and keep our pensions -- They're gonna be a laughingstock, and so will all those who supported them. All those who bought pizzas and veggie trays and sandwiches. All those who drove in from Minnesota and Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. All those who scheduled solidarity protests in Phoenix and Boston, Atlanta and Houston, Sacramento and Portland and wherever.

All those who emailed their friends "WISCONSIN IS GOING VIRAL!"




Tansy Gold

Sadly it looks like they've caved already. I am a teacher too and I know what I would be doing right now.

If those teachers think that by going back to work now, there will be no consequences, they are mistaken. The right will be attacking them for years for the stand they already took and I wouldn't be surprised if many are fired.

When you take a stand like this you have to be willing to lose your job and let the opposition know that, if there is any chance of winning.

I guess we have not come to the point yet that the people of Egypt and Tunisia came to, which they described as 'breaking the barrier of fear'.

Seeing comments here about what the right will think, strikes a real blow against victory. I truly, truly wish that people who care about this country would eliminate that thought from the minds. It is what has lost us so many battles and all to no avail, as the right will continue to be what they are. THEY NEED TO BE DEFEATED, not feared or appeased.

Neither YOU, nor anyone other than the teachers has the right to make that decision for them.

It's a moot point now as they have already caved.

Fear of what the 'right will think' has been a powerful weapon in the hands of the right for years now.

If they lose this battle, there will be ramifications for everyone across the country.

We know that Walker will not back down unless he is forced to.

The Egyptians showed us how to do this. Strikes across the country crippled the regime's ability to function. They did not listen to admonitions to return to their jobs. If they had, Mubarak would still be there.

I guess we have not reached that level of commitment here yet.

Giving in to bullies never, EVER wins. Our constant caving over the past 20 years of Hate Radio rule is what got us to this point.

The State Senate Dems currently in Illinois have their backside and can carry on the fight. The teachers can teach during the week and protest on the weekends, winning over the moderates. Right now, I'm afraid too many people are looking at the teachers as "greedy" and "slackers". Take away that ammunition!

As for PR, the reporting by the papers has been fair. The union points have been communicated. The crowd sizes pointed out.

Anonymous (including you) does not agree.

explain to the rest that returning to work before getting concessions from the governor means losing the battle.
this is not about a show of muscle. it is a life and death struggle.
thumbing one's nose at the enemy may take courage but it is only the prelude to the real battle.
the public employees can't go home now or they lose.

but on Sunday she is telling workers to quit fighting? It seems very strange to me. Especially since the only reference to her supposed statement that she is telling teachers to go back to work are coming from right wing sources.

If you think it is a good idea to quit take a look at what this article is saying:

"On Sunday, Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Educational Association Council, instructed the teachers in her union to return to the classroom after many of them skipped school for three days last week. The unexpected move energized Republicans in Wisconsin, who took it as a sign that negative public reaction to the “sick-out” is making a difference."


http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/chicago-teachers-union-organizes-wisconsin-protest_550527.html

If she made a low key call for teachers to go back to work, then the union can't be accused of breaking the law and saddled with massive fines and lawsuits. I've read in the past where union leaders have made statements seemingly at conflict with the unions beliefs for such reasons.

a victory as expected. We just don't have the kind of commitment to winning on our side that is necessary to beat these thugs. Which is why they have gained so much power over the years.

The left is weak sadly. Always worried about things look to the 'right'.

I hope this doesn't end the stand-off, I'm Walker will be issuing a statement claiming victory over the teachers and admonishing them for their 'irresponsible behavior' over the past week. Those hoping for a pat on the back from the right, are going to be as always, sadly disappointed. Everything is a weapon to the right. Which is why we should never, ever provide them with this kind of opportunity.

Too late now, though.

I haven't been able to skip work yet as I don't have tenure but I did show on Sunday. I also live about an hour and a half from Madison so going during evenings has been tough at best. I will go next weekend some though and if this goes until my spring break in mid march I will get a hotel in Madison I think.

I think that the events that unfolded over the last week and the weekend with the continued occupation of the rotunda and the 120,000 protestors on Saturday (including myself and family) the decision of the Madison teachers union to return to work has been vindicated. Public opinion is now overwhelmingly on our side--and it has become harder and harder to demonize the teachers. The capitol square area and State Street were incredible...with 100,000 plus protesters and the additional traffic generated by the state wrestling tournament...it became the perfect venue for our peaceful and righteous cause. We are going to win this thing!!! If need be the same thing will happen next Saturday--I guarantee it.