Members of the UW-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association were among the loudest protesters at a rally at the state Capitol Monday, where hundreds of state employees gathered over their lunch hours to lambaste the Legislature's rejection of their contracts.
About 30 teaching assistants gathered first at Library Mall and then marched to the Capitol. Brandishing signs that bore slogans like \UW Works Because We Do"" and ""It's in the Budget, Stupid,"" they expressed frustration with the Joint Committee on Employee Relations.
JCOER, chaired by Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, turned down the contracts of 15 labor organizations--including the TAA--Feb. 13 citing Wisconsin's projected budget shortfall. Many state employees said they are incensed by JCOER's actions.
""We've gone since July 2001 without a contract,"" said Claudia Hanson Thiem, a TA in the UW-Madison geography department. ""Now we're asking people to talk to their friends and parents,"" she said.
The group marched down State Street chanting ""A deal is a deal,"" alluding to the Legislature's refusal to approve the contracts which were drawn up ""in good faith"" in spring of 2001.
""We expect to make ourselves heard. We expect respect. We expect a contract,"" said TAA President Mike Quieto. ""We're sending a loud message to legislators.""
UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley said the university is standing behind its TAs and other state employees. He has sent a letter to JCOER expressing disappointment with its failure to ratify the contracts.
""The TAs have been working more than two years now without a raise and without a contract,"" Wiley said. ""It's long overdue.""
The TAA's chants caught on with the crowd inside the Capitol. Many local unions were represented, including the Wisconsin Professional Employees Council and the Wisconsin Federation of Teachers. Several hundreds of the 30,000 state workers affected by JCOER's actions cheered as prominent labor leaders expressed their support for state employees.
""We know our adversaries are trying to divide us,"" Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby said. ""Those contracts were brought in good faith--they've got to be approved in good faith. It's that simple.""
Bob Beglinger, president of the WFT, said the Legislature should respect state workers' commitment to their professions by honoring its own duty to workers.
""A deal [would be] a reward for your service and dedication. ... We won't be held hostage by the 'Gang of Five,'"" he said, referring to the five legislators who voted to reject the contracts.
State Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, threw in his support for the state employees as well, announcing that he plans to introduce a resolution Thursday requiring an ""immediate vote by the entire assembly to ratify"" all the contracts in question.
Finally, state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, who voted for the contracts' approval, said, ""You are the ones who keep the state going every single day. What we did to you Thursday night--there's no excuse for it.""
The rally ended with a union song sung to the tune of ""The Battle Hymn of the Republic"" entitled ""Solidarity Forever.""
Engineer Union member Michele Chalice summed up the general tenor of the gathering.
""The Legislature might find it difficult to work with us, but it will be more difficult to work without us,"" she said.
