March 2, 2015
By SEIU President Mary Kay Henry
Washington, DC – Guest article by SEIU President Mary Kay Henry regarding the Wisconsin legislature's passage of anti-worker "right-to-work" legislation. "This terrible legislation hurts families and it hurts the economy in Wisconsin. Gov. Walker and his out-of-touch allies in the legislature have dealt a blow to working families.
"This is part of a 40-year attack on the ability of working people to join together to raise pay and improve working conditions. We've seen corporations gain more and more power while they limit the power of their employees. This ongoing attack has thrown our economy out of balance, and families in Wisconsin and across the nation are the ones paying the price.
"When working people lose the right to unite, it means lower wages and fewer benefits for all working people.
"States with these 'no rights at work' laws have wages that are 12 percent lower than those in other states. They have fewer residents with health insurance, higher poverty and infant mortality rates, less investment in education and higher workplace fatalities than other states.
"All working families deserve a fair shot at having a good life. Unfortunately, it's clear that Gov. Walker is siding with greedy CEOs and wealthy special interests and against families that work hard to make ends meet."
