Thousands Rally at State Capitol in Support of Wisconsin Workers

“Today, we are all Badgers.”

“The workers united will never be defeated.”

“Who does the work? We do.”

These were among dozens of phrases, chants and slogans that resonated in the Minnesota capitol rotunda late Tuesday afternoon as several thousand labor union members and supporters converged on St. Paul to show solidarity with Wisconsin public workers whose governor is threatening to take away their right to collective bargaining.

From teachers to Teamsters, from police officers to pipe fitters, concerned union members filled the rotunda floor, the second and third level balconies above and the stairways leading to both chambers of the state legislature.

State Rep. Steve Simon, a Democrat in his fourth term, said the rally was “the biggest I have ever seen in the six years I have been here.”

Jennifer Munt, the public affairs director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 5, said her union members are frustrated because “certain elements of the media and the public think the fight, especially in Wisconsin, is about money and benefits. It’s not. It’s about the right to have a union—to have collective bargaining.”

Munt added that the phones at Council 5’s office have “been ringing off the hooks.

“We are getting a ton of support from the general public," she said. "We have had several clergymen calling saying they are encouraging their congregations to support working men and women not only in Wisconsin, but everywhere.”

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, a Democrat who represents Southwest Minneapolis, said after the rally that he is hearing from a lot of his constituents.

“They understand the attempt to try and divide middle class working families and that unions and collective bargaining go a long way toward preventing that from happening.”

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton countered the position of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker when he told the cheering crowd that no such situation will take place in his state "because I’m here.” 

Toni Anderson of Fridley, Laurie McKenzie of Columbia Heights and Michele Struthers of Mounds View of ASCME local 3688, which represents Hennepin County Court workers, were unanimous in why they were present.

“We were there to show support for the workers in Wisconsin and Ohio and to make sure something like this doesn’t happen here,” said Struthers.

McKenzie added, “We have worked too hard to create unions and have collective bargaining. If that is taken away, one can only imagine the increase in home foreclosures and the inability to pay for higher education.”

Anderson said the unions have to stick together. “Everyone’s jobs are on the line.”

Tracy Mena, vice president of Local 872 of Education Minnesota, attended the rally.

“I’m so glad Mark Dayton is governor," she said. "I liked what one speaker said today, and that is that people like Scott Walker can try and take away our collective bargaining, but they can’t take away our collective action.”