Labor & Employment Law

Wisconsin Police Set to Stage Sleep-In to Keep Capitol Open

By Tula Connell

The leader of the police union in Wisconsin is calling for Gov. Scott Walker to keep the state Capitol open?and today announced plans for a sleepover to make sure that happens.

State lawmakers approved a rule change two days ago that clears the way for limiting the public’s access to the state Capitol and ejecting people protesting Walker?s bill to take away public employees’ rights to bargain for good middle-class jobs.

Says Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association:

The law enforcement officers from across the state that have been working at the Capitol and have been very impressed with how peaceful everyone has been. As has been reported in the media, the protesters are cleaning up after themselves and have not caused any problems. 

The fact of that matter is that Wisconsin?s law enforcement community opposes Governor Walker?s effort to eliminate most  union activity in this state, and we implore him to not do anything to increase the risk to officers and the public.  The costs of providing security can never outweigh those associated with a conflict.

Palmer also announced that, beginning tonight, the union is formally requesting its members from across the state to come to the Capitol to sleep amongst the throngs of other union supporters.  

Further, Palmer states:

Law enforcement officers know the difference between right and wrong, and Governor Walker?s attempt to eliminate the  collective voice of Wisconsin?s devoted public employees is wrong. That is why we have stood with our fellow employees each day and why we will be sleeping among them tonight.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 25, 2011 (boomark / email).