Sit-in at the Capitol

Two-hundred people on the fourth floor of the Capitol are refusing to leave until their voices are heard. We are demanding that the Joint Finance Committee serve democracy by hearing everyone who wants speak before voting on whether to pass the inflammatory anti-union bill on to the state Senate.The committee told citizens at 9:10 p.m. that no one else will be allowed to sign up to speak, and that the committee would not reconvene tomorrow. What’s more, the committee has said that the hearing will be cut off at 2 or 3 a.m. This is despite assurances in the morning that everyone would have a chance to speak.

We demand the committee hear everyone who wishes to speak tonight, and reopen the hearing tomorrow. Many people have driven long distances and need to work during the day, and thus will not have a chance to speak if the committee cuts of hearings.

It is clear that this bill is highly controversial and inflammatory. It is essential that members of the Joint Finance Committee hear everyone who has something to say on a bill that would change the nature of the public institutions and workplace protections in Wisconsin.

The new rules were laid out by Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee. “The reason I’m standing on this chair in the hallway is that I believe you should speak. However, I’m in the minority.”

Contact:
Peter Rickman, 920-284-4710
Alex Hanna, 765-404-6996