Doug Moore, UDW Executive Director and AFSCME IVP has a message for California politicians: “The status quo is over.”

The future of California is at stake and nobody knows this better than public workers in the Golden State. That’s why AFSCME members are stepping out to raise awareness of the vital services state and local employees provide to keep their communities strong.

UDW, The Homecare Providers Union, and AFSCME Local 625 member Irene González are spearheading a 260-mile march from Bakersfield to Sacramento.

González, a senior investigator aide for Los Angeles County, was recently joined by AFSCME members, other public employees, and hundreds of supporters, well-wishers and members of the media to launch the March for California’s Future in Bakersfield, Calif.

Their message was clear: For too long, legislators have tried to balance the state budget on the backs of working families. Not anymore.

“To those politicians in Sacramento who like the status quo and who resist change, we have a message: ‘The status quo is over,’” said Doug Moore, executive director of UDW and an International vice-president of AFSCME. “You either deliver on your promises and meet the needs of your constituents, or we will put you in the unemployment line so you can see how the other half lives!”

AFSCME, the California Federation of Teachers, and a coalition of labor, education, and civil society groups are leading the march with rallies along the way to highlight the struggles communities are experiencing and the need to fund public services.

The core marchers working to support public services and dedicated to walking 260 miles include a Los Angeles probation officer, a San Diego community college professor, a teacher and community organizer from Watsonville, a retired Berkeley adult educator, and two Los Angeles teachers. They have been joined along the way by hundreds of others.

After 63 miles of marching, participants, AFSCME members and allies held a major rally Wednesday at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park to highlight how budget cuts have forced the closure of state parks and severely curtailed services and operating hours. The park is located at the site of a town once founded and governed by African-Americans. It was established to commemorate the achievements and contributions of African-Americans to the development of California.

Californians want and deserve a public education; they want and deserve safe streets and workplaces; they want and deserve affordable, accessible health care; they want and deserve access to public parks and libraries; and they want and deserve clean water. Unfortunately, community services are slashed year after year. Elected officials need to fight for the public’s interest now.

Polls routinely show that a majority of California voters support public services and want to see programs like education, environmental protections, child care, health care, job training, and mental health services adequately funded. Californians are marching want to promote fairness and equality in our public policies.

“California has always been seen as a place where anything was possible, if you worked hard enough. Unfortunately, equality of opportunity in the Golden State has diminished,” said González. “We want fair taxes. We want better education. We want to be able to live the American Dream for not only ourselves but for the future for our kids.”

Watch television coverage of the March kick-off in Bakersfield:

The 48-day “March for California’s Future” begins today. Learn more at http://www.fight4cafuture.com/.

A diverse group of Californians, including a San Diego community college professor, two Los Angeles probation officers, a Watsonville teacher, a retired Berkeley adult educator, and a retired L.A. teacher begin a 48-day “March for California’s Future” today.

The march, sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) and a coalition of labor, education, and civil society groups including the American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), will begin with a rally at Mount Moriah Baptist Church in L.A., after which marchers will travel to Bakersfield to begin their walk.

Following in Cesar Chavez’s footsteps, hundreds of firefighters, nurses, in-home care workers, students, and police officers will join the marchers for parts of their 260-mile trek from Bakersfield to Sacramento.

“We want to restore quality public education and public services, rebuild a government that serves all Californians, and create a fair tax system to fund our state’s future,” said Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer and executive board member of AFSCME Local 685.

Hear more from Irene in this story from Workers Independent News (1 min. 28 sec. audio file):

More coverage here:
New America Media
KION-TV 46
The Bakersfield Californian
Talon Marks (Cerritos College)
The Guardsman (San Francisco City College)

Kudos to Wisconsin for requiring the state’s schools to teach labor history and collective bargaining. On Dec. 10, Gov. Jim Doyle (D) signed the “Labor History in the Schools” bill – the first of its kind in the nation.

In signing this landmark legislation, Governor Doyle said he was thinking about the kids today and how vital it is to learn about the labor movement’s gains, such as fair wages, good benefits, decent working conditions and justice.

No doubt, this is a historic measure.  And it’s even more notable because Wisconsin is the birthplace of AFSCME. Our ranks grew from 5,355 members in 1936 to more than 200,000 in the 1950s. During this period, AFSCME waged a successful campaign for collective bargaining rights. As a result, Wisconsin passed one of the nation’s first collective bargaining laws for public employees in 1959.

“Wisconsin continues the tradition of honoring the tremendous contributions and sacrifices of workers who built this great nation,” says Pres. Gerald McEntee. “We must never forget that workers organized, marched, went on strike, and even gave their lives in the struggles that resulted in the 40-hour work week, safe working conditions and secure retirement benefits.”

Absolutely thrilled. That’s how Janet Ramsey felt when she heard the news. A medical laboratory technician and member of Local 1942 (Council 24), she regularly volunteers at the local high school in Madison, talking to kids about unions. And it saddens her that there’s only one paragraph in the students’ history books about labor.

University of Massachusetts history professor James Green agrees with Ramsey. “Ignorance of labor history will disempower today’s workers and students,” he says. But armed with this knowledge, individual workers can achieve some dignity when they assert their collective power.

We agree, totally.