Union leaders can dress it up and use innocuous-sounding phrases like ” voluntary consumer activism,” but the bottom line is that Wisconsin’s unions are now resorting to thug-like behavior against political opponents, real or imagined.
The state’s largest teachers union, Wisconsin Education Association Council, along with the Green Bay Education Association, Madison Teachers Inc. and a handful of other public employee unions are carrying their fight over collective bargaining to innocent business owners.
News accounts reveal that the Fox Valley chapter of WEAC has e-mailed local businesses, asking them to show their support for collective bargaining privileges by putting a poster in their business’ window. The union’s e-mail suggests the posters will help members with “substantially less discretionary money to spend” know where to shop.
This is a thinly-veiled threat from a bunch of thugs if there ever was one. First there were the Gangs of New York. Then there were the Gangs of Chicago. Now we see the Gangs of Wisconsin.
The fact that Wisconsin’s teachers unions are now intimidating innocent business owners reveals the depth of the union’s political radicalism. It also reinforces old stereotypes of union members behaving like lawless gangsters.
This behavior is unworthy of teachers who are entrusted with educating Wisconsin’s children. They might as well be demanding protection money, just like Al Capone.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that WEAC is having its summer strategy meetings at Little Bohemia.