Dispatch from Wisconsin: Protestors not giving up despite sneaky move by Senators in dark of night

This is the third in a series of BCGEU dispatches from Wisconsin, where the governor's union-busting is spurring a popular uprising.

In the dark of night on Wednesday March 9, Republican Senators undid decades of civil rights in Wisconsin in under 30 minutes. The Republicans found a way to bypass the legislature's absent Democrats, and approved a law to strip collective bargaining rights from public service workers. The sneaky move exposes the fact that the Governor's real agenda from the beginning was not about balancing the state budget; it is about attacking unions and stripping workers of their fundamental labour rights.

BCGEU's Holly Page is in Wisconsin to show our solidarity.

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Dispatch from Wisconsin: Protestors not giving up despite sneaky move by Senators in dark of night

It was sheer craziness.

We had maybe half-an-hour notice that the Senate would be passing the bill at 6pm on Wednesday. Everyone raced out from the “We are Wisconsin” campaign war room, to head to the State Capitol building.

People were storming the building doors. In Wisconsin, there is a tradition that allows the general public to enter the State legislative buildings. On Wednesday night, it was mayhem.

Inside the Rotunda, there was a crowd of six or seven hundred. As the lawmakers voted, spectators in the Senate gallery screamed "You are cowards!" and “Shame! Shame! Shame!”

Shortly thereafter, another surreal moment: a recorded message on the Capitol loudspeakers. “The Capitol building is now closed. Please leave the building.” Nobody left. The crowds kept on coming in. “This is our house!” the protestors responded.

At one point, a speaker inside the Rotunda asked:  raise your hand if you are a union member. A loud cheer erupted as a several hundred raised their hands.

The speaker then asked: raise your hand if you are not a union member. An even louder cheer erupted. More than half the crowd showed their hands

Within hours, the crowd inside the Capitol grew to an estimated 7,000, more than had been in the building at any point during weeks of protests. There were seniors, children, even dogs with protest signs.

I could hear them inside the Rotunda even from inside my hotel room. They chanted through the night. I got three hours of sleep.

The people of Wisconsin aren't giving up. It’s pretty amazing around here. There are more protests planned, including a massive rally on Saturday.

Madison pictures have been posted to BCGEU's Facebook page.

Previous dispatches:

• Second dispatch from Wisconsin: “This is what democracy looks like!”
• First dispatch from Wisconsin: "Wisconsin is the canary in the coal mine"

Stay tuned for more  from Wisconsin.