Bullied, harassed, and lied to, District 1 of the Amalgamated Association of Easter Bunnies, AFB-CIO (American Federation of Bunnies--Cottontails International Organization) went on strike, forcing a halt to this year's Easter egg hunts in Wisconsin.
At Bunny Headquarters, Solomon P. Bunny, union executive secretary, and a militant corps of Easter bunnies were preparing picket signs. I walked in, notepad in hand.
"Excuse me, Mr. Bunny, why aren't your members delivering eggs this week?"
Bunny looked up from the papers on his desk, chomped harder on his cigar, looked at me, scowled, and answered harshly, "Don't you know!?"
"No, sir," I replied apologetically. "I always thought you were happy and content delivering Easter eggs."
"We love it," growled Bunny, "but the Wisconsin Legislature doesn't love us."
"I will admit the newly-elected governor and the newly-elected conservatives in the Legislature were a bit authoritarian in what they did to the rights of the workers."
"Authoritarian, heck!" said Bunny, "they're the models of a fascist government in how they took away our rights."
"But don't the people have a right to balance their budget without excessive union demands?" I asked.
"Listen, Ink Breath, Wisconsin had a $120 million surplus just three months ago. The deficit isn't because the public employees' pensions and wages but more than $140 million in tax breaks the Republicans gave businesses, and another $200 million it pays every year to Wall Street investors. Add in all the travel perks and legislator benefits and you have a pile of money to stack your lies upon."
"But I read that public sector employees make more than those in the private sector."
"You read it where? In newspapers?" When I didn't answer him quickly, he continued. "Yeah, thought so. The Center for Economic Policy Research--that's an independent think tank--independent, you get it?--Independent, as in not funded by FOX News or Progressive Democrats of America--said that public sector workers, when compared against the same criteria as private sector workers, actually earn 4 percent less."
"Even with these facts, I doubt you'd have much support," I said, noting that while most taxpayers want programs they don't want to pay taxes and think union workers are greedy opportunists who deserve to be thrown on their tails, even if made of cotton.
Bunny went into one of his files, pulled out a sheaf of papers, and slammed it on the desk. "Read it!" he commanded. Not wanting to further upset a furious bunny, I skimmed the report that revealed about two-thirds of Americans support the rights of collective bargaining, even if they have serious problems with unions and how unions operate."
"But those are polls," I challenged. "Numbers can be manipulated to say anything."
"How's this for a number? In Madison one day, 100,000 citizens went to the capitol to explain things to their legislators. Even the cops and firefighters who had endorsed Republicans during the election were there as part of the working class."
1 | 2
