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Nearly 70,000 rally in US to defend labor rights
Source: Xinhua |
February 20, 2011, Sunday
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Online Edition
Online Edition
Nearly 70,000 public workers and pro-labor activists rallied in and outside the Wisconsin Capitol yesterday to protest a Republican-sponsored bill aimed to strip the state employees of most of their collective bargaining rights.
The Police Department of Madison said 60,000 people gathered outside the building with another 8,000 inside, and no arrests have been made so far.
The rally is the latest of a wave of protests that started Tuesday to oppose a bill proposed by Wisconsin's Republican governor in a bid to force state employees to contribute more to their health-care and pension costs and give up most of their collective bargaining rights.
The protestors have filled the streets of downtown the state capital of Madison yesterday, but were countered by a smaller but equally spirited crowd of supporters of the governor's proposed measures.
Republicans who control Wisconsin's state legislature reaffirmed that they have the votes needed to pass the measure, which is "not negotiable."
However, the protestors, some of whom camped out near the state capitol for days, said they would continue the rally today.
Nearly identical measures are advancing in Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Indiana, where newly-elected Republican governors and legislative leaders are trying to control costs by muscling concessions from government worker unions.
The Police Department of Madison said 60,000 people gathered outside the building with another 8,000 inside, and no arrests have been made so far.
The rally is the latest of a wave of protests that started Tuesday to oppose a bill proposed by Wisconsin's Republican governor in a bid to force state employees to contribute more to their health-care and pension costs and give up most of their collective bargaining rights.
The protestors have filled the streets of downtown the state capital of Madison yesterday, but were countered by a smaller but equally spirited crowd of supporters of the governor's proposed measures.
Republicans who control Wisconsin's state legislature reaffirmed that they have the votes needed to pass the measure, which is "not negotiable."
However, the protestors, some of whom camped out near the state capitol for days, said they would continue the rally today.
Nearly identical measures are advancing in Ohio, Iowa, Michigan and Indiana, where newly-elected Republican governors and legislative leaders are trying to control costs by muscling concessions from government worker unions.
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