This month marks the ten-year anniversary of former governor Scott Walker’s introduction of the bill now known as Act 10—a piece of legislation ostensibly meant to repair the state budget but that ultimately stripped away union rights for public employees. There was a massive uprising in response, with an estimated 100,000 people or more attending demonstrations protesting the bill in and around the Capitol, including participants from all over the state and as far away as California.
Today, we open the phone lines to hear from listeners about their own experiences protesting Act 10. They share memories of camping out at the Capitol building, the Solidarity Sing Alongs, the creation of the Forward Marching Band, and the joy of making friends in the movement. They also discuss the significance of rank-and-file leaders, teachers, and workers in many other sectors to the movement and the impacts of Act 10 echoing still today as labor groups fight for worker health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
