Police and Firefighter unions demand businesses publicly oppose Wisconsin governor

Wow. Here is another reason public unions should not be allowed to collectively bargain with politicians running a local or state government. Union leadership – including those from law enforcement and firefighters – have sent letters out to local businesses demanding they publicly oppose the efforts of Wisconsin’s legislature and governor or face the consequences.

Not only are they suggesting they publicly oppose the fiscal-sanity measures in Wisconsin, they are flat out telling them they will publicly boycott businesses who do not proactively do so. From James Taranto’s opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal yesterday.

In the letter to Wisconsin businessmen, however, we see why so-called collective bargaining is particularly corrupting to the police. Although the letter explicitly threatens only an economic boycott, when it is written on behalf of the police–of those on whom all citizens depend to protect their safety–it invariably raises the prospect of another kind of boycott. Can a businessman who declines this heavy-handed “request” be confident that the police will do their job if he is the victim of a crime–particularly if the crime itself is in retaliation for his refusal to support “the dedicated public employees who serve our communities”?

I’ve uploaded one of the letters [PDF, 100KB] for your convenience. In part – with my emphasis in bold – it reads…

The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17. In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.

In other words, your silence means your business will be targeted with a public economic boycott. This is what the liberal/union/progressive/statist does. Threaten you, your business and your families economic security.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

25 Comments

  1. Plainvillian on March 15, 2011 at 4:15 am

    Beyond boycott, when these threats come from police and firefighters, isn't it implicit that those services might be withheld from those who do not comply with the "request"?  How is this not a protection racket?

    Wisconsin borders Illinois.  This is not extortion.  This is politics Chicago style, coming soon to a city and state near you.



  2. Don Lombardo on March 15, 2011 at 4:25 am

    Al Capnoe would be proud of this "protection racket." Eric Holder won't be enforcing and RICO laws here. This has to be illegal.



  3. Anne-EH on March 15, 2011 at 5:17 am

    WI government unions at it AGAIN!



  4. Dimsdale on March 15, 2011 at 5:25 am

    What was it that Øbama recently said about bullying?

     

    From http://www.bullying.gov:

    Bullying Others

    Becomes violent with others

    Gets into physical or verbal  fights with others

    Gets sent to the principal’s office or detention a lot

    Has extra money or new belongings that cannot be explained

    Is quick to blame others

    Will not accept responsibility for their actions

    Has friends who bully others

    Needs to win or be best at everything

     

    Any of this look familiar?  Where is the outcry?



  5. RoBrDona on March 15, 2011 at 6:14 am

    How is this not actionable as sedition?



  6. Anne-EH on March 15, 2011 at 10:22 am


  7. Wayne SW on March 15, 2011 at 10:36 am

    PV…..you nailed it AGAIN!



  8. Eric on March 15, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Sons of bastages! Collective bargaining has to be crushed. This is extortion, it's criminal!



  9. steve418r on March 15, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    With the unions, the media, and underhanded voting techniques , the libs are going to be very hard to beat in any election.

    Hey, you know the mantra; Vote Democratic, get free stuff!!



  10. Shared Sacrifice on March 15, 2011 at 6:30 pm

    Hitler's Brownshirts evolved in same way… Paramilitary, Socialist Worker's Party, packing meetings with thugs, violently assaulting dissent, cracking sculls… One might wonder if this union pressure on businesses might precede some sort of Obama-Style-Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)? Barry has mentioned need for a civilian police force just as powerful and well funded as the US military- probably to assist at polling places and such… Interesting parallel too is Germany's then debt due to reparations, while our debt due to feeding the union beasts that now terrorize us. Will Janet Napolitano be adding these disgruntled clowns to her terror watch list- along with veterans and tea party ppl?



  11. BEA on March 16, 2011 at 3:41 am

    I laugh at the words "collectively bargain". They don't want to bargain…they want it their way and will force, bully, and threaten to get it. This is unbelievable.



  12. Dimsdale on March 16, 2011 at 5:37 am

    SEIU: the purple people beaters!



  13. red923 on March 17, 2011 at 8:05 am

    Absolutely disgusting. The sooner we get rid of all Unions the better (I live in California and I belong to a union so I can say that wholeheartedly). While I won't be visiting Wisconsin any time soon, I would love to support the businesses who supported Governor Walker. I would like to use the unions' boycott list to support those businesses.



  14. Alamo BRuin on March 17, 2011 at 8:28 am

    That’s how the libtards celebrate fraternity with the other union thugs.? It is so nice to see firemen and cops support their brother in ilk.? If you don’t give enough they will consider you eligible for mistaken business or home invasion as the next step.
    Governor Walker should re-consider his decision about the mafia cops and engine polishers next time around.
    ?



  15. Emusia on March 17, 2011 at 8:44 am

    Scott Walker clearly misled the public during his campaign about his intention to bust the unions.  That's why the police and firefighters unions both supported Walker.  He miscalculated when he went to bust the teachers, nurses and other state worker unions though.  He thought by leaving the police and fire department out of it they would go along with him.  They have changed their minds.  

    Certainly there will be boycotts of all those corporations that supported Walker and it is important to let them know why they are being boycotted.  Of course, since Walker  misled everyone about his intentions during the campaign it seems only fair that companies be given a chance to redeem themselves to prevent being boycotted.

    The idea that this is union extortion is ridiculous.



    • Dimsdale on March 17, 2011 at 9:11 am

      Walker isn't busting the unions; he's breaking the choke hold they have on Wisconsin and other states.  A review of his campaign promises doesn't reveal any more "misleading" than any other politician (http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/article/2011/jan/01/look-scott-walkers-campaign-promises/).
       

      Maybe the Wisconsonites should consider how Jim Doyle, Walker's two term Democrat predecessor, might have misled them into the mess they find themselves.

       

      When the unemployment rate of the state workers is the same as that of the private sector, only then can they talk about shared sacrifice.



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