On the back of a new union poll suggesting the Wisconsin public is ready to stand with the protesters gathered in and around the Capitol in Madison, a coalition of unions is going on air in the Badger State with an ad calling on the public to do just that.
As Greg Sargent first reported, the AFL-CIO, National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers and others are paying for the spot, which features a Racine, WI firefighter urging Gov. Scott Walker (R) not to ban collective bargaining for teachers, nurses and other unionized state employees.
“They’re simply asking that you not take away their rights,” the firefighter says.
The ad also talks about the wage and benefits concessions the unions have already offered as the battle has dragged on in Wisconsin. The AFL-CIO says that letting voters know about the compromises offered by labor so far is a winning move for the workers and their supporters across the state.
“As they are informed about the details, such as workers already agreed to the concessions on wages and benefits, support for Walker’s ideas plummet precipitously,” AFL-CIO Political Communications Director Eddie Vale said in an email.
Watch the new spot running in Wisconsin:
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