This site is a static archive. Visit the current IWW website at iww.org ▸
Skip to main content

IWW General Defense Committee Statement on Wisconsin

Right now in Wisconsin public workers from across the state, supported by private sector workers, students young and old, retirees, labor activists and more, are holding unprecedented protests in Madison against the utterly dictatorial move by Governor Scott Walker to gut their collective bargaining rights.

After giving $140 million to special interest groups in January, many of whom donated to Republican campaigns and to the Governor himself, Walker is now attempting to strip Wisconsin's state workers of their hard-won right to collectively bargain over the conditions of their labor under the guise of filling a claimed $137 million budget shortfall.

A similar bill has been introduced in Ohio, and Republican Sen. Jane Cunningham in Missouri has also introduced a bill to strip state law of all Child Labor protections.

In light of these increasing attacks on the working class, We, the Steering Committee and Central Secretary Treasurer of the General Defense Committee of the Industrial Workers of the World, stand firmly behind all workers fighting back. We extend Solidarity to all workers, union or non-union, fighting back against the Capitalist class trying to return us to conditions not found since the Industrial Revolution.

As our primary mission is to offer solidarity and defense help to any workers imprisoned, arrested, attacked, or punished by the State in any way in fighting the class war, the GDC of the IWW is here to offer any and all help we can during these times, and during all labor struggles.An injury to one is an injury to ALL!

Solidarity Forever!
Signed,

Central Secretary-Treasurer:
Steven Ayers

Steering Committee:
Chuck Bailey
Eric Zenke
Marie Mason.