This is What Democracy Looks Like

Wisconsin Crowds Grow as Fight Intensifies to Protect Workers' Rights

Tens of thousands of workers from throughout Wisconsin converged on the state capitol this week to protest the governor's attempt to end collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Below: The crowd in the capitol rotunda includes CWA members in red shirts.

A week of rapidly organized rallies and marches continued today in Wisconsin, drawing tens of thousands of residents to the state capitol to condemn Gov. Scott Walker's attacks on collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Crowds estimated at 15,000 on Tuesday had swelled to 30,000 by Wednesday and even greater numbers were predicted today to fight Walker's union-busting agenda. Click here for YouTube video of the rally.

"The energy that was going on in there, it was the biggest union boost I've had in my life," said CWA Local 4630 President Terry Russell, who turned out Tuesday with about a dozen members of his AT&T local. "Absolutely every union was represented. It was a bonding like I've never seen before. I was proud to be part of it."

CWA Local 4671 members came from across the state to Madison. "I think the energy that got ignited there is something the governor did not anticipate," Local President Mike Oliver said, noting the roar from the crowd as firefighters and off-duty police officers marched around the capitol square.

Walker specifically exempted police and fire unions from his decree, but "they showed up to march with placards and banners," Oliver said. "We formed lines as they came through the square and we shook their hands and thanked them for their support."

As crowds grew outside, several thousand people waited in long lines and even slept overnight in the capitol atrium Tuesday to testify at a standing-room-only hearing of the state Joint Finance Committee, which continued meeting until the Republican majority walked out at 3 a.m. Wednesday. The committee passed the governor's budget bill with its union-busting language by a 12-4 vote along party lines Wednesday night. The state Senate could vote on the bill this afternoon.

The public and private sector unions, and scores of non-union allies, are continuing to send a strong message to Walker that he's overplayed his hand in a state with a proud labor history. Wisconsin was the first state to extend bargaining rights to public employees, who include about 150 CWA members.

Last Friday, Walker announced his intention to strip away those rights for everything but wage negotiations. If workers didn't like it, he said the National Guard was prepared to respond.

His comments hit a new low in the barrage of political attacks on public workers nationwide, drawing condemnation from newspaper editorials, conservative workers who say they regret voting for him, and a former Wisconsin Guardsman and an Iraq war vet.

"The National Guard is not his own personal intimidation force to be mobilized to quash political dissent," Guardsman Robin Eckstein said. "The Guard is to be used in case of true emergencies and disasters, to help the people of Wisconsin, not to bully political opponents. Considering many veterans and Guard members are union members, it's even more inappropriate to use the Guard in this way. This is a very dangerous line the governor is about to cross."

Police quoted in media reports this week said the demonstrations, including about a thousand people marching in front of Walker's home, have been large but entirely peaceful.

MSNBC's Ed Schultz did his MSNBC show live from Madison last night and has been covering the events all week. Go to www.msnbc.com or click here for "The Ed Show" and scroll down for video segments.

UPDATE: In a show of solidarity, Democratic lawmakers did not appear for the Senate session on Feb. 17 and said they would stay away until there could be real discussion and debate of the Governor’s radical proposals. Those proposals, which would wipe out 70 years of collective bargaining for public workers, were introduced less than a week ago.

Stay tuned!