Dispatch from Wisconsin: “This is what democracy looks like!”

This is the second in a series of BCGEU dispatches from Wisconsin, where the governor's union-busting is spurring a popular uprising. In a full, frontal attack on public sector unions, the Republican state governor wants to strip collective bargaining rights from 175,000 Wisconsin public sector workers.

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

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Dispatch from Wisconsin: “This is what democracy looks like!”

“This is what democracy looks like.

- What does democracy look like?

This is what democracy looks like!”

(Protest chant heard in the rotunda of the Madison Capitol building)

Madison is rally town. The protests simply do not stop.

Every day between 8am and 4pm, a steady line of people wait their turn to get inside the Capitol, so they can join the others inside to the Rotunda. You have to be patient. There is only one set of open doors.

The Rotunda is where the peaceful occupation took place for a couple of weeks, which put Madison in the news headlines. It has been called a shrine for working people.

As soon as you walk in, you can hear the singing and the chanting. I went in on Monday, when there were about 200 people of all ages singing, “This land is your land.” The acoustics are amazing. I also heard protestors repeating “this is what democracy looks like –what does democracy look like? -  this is what democracy looks like,” over and over again.  

I can only imagine the fanfare in the Rotunda when the occupation took place.

Every day, the Rotunda closes at 4pm. At that time, hundreds of people gather outside to greet the protesters coming out with chants about democracy. Once everybody is out, they call out "thank you, thank you." It’s like a daily ritual.

I can see the protestors from my hotel window too. It has a view of the state capitol building. Every time I look out, I see people strolling around the building, holding their protest placards with words of dismay written on them.

In the nearby streets, there are hundreds of people randomly walking around, carrying protest signs as well. When I cross their path, I can overhear their conversations. Many are sharing why they were here – their personal motivation. Their personal stories.

The entire town is behind this protest. At first, I focused on union protest signs, with their obvious logos. Then I noticed all the other ones. Signs in store windows. Yard signs.  Everywhere you look, there are signs supporting public workers. It’s as though every citizen and group in Madison and Wisconsin is behind this protest. Their support is loud and clear. Sadly, that is not how the US media are portraying these events.

I am assisting a Coalition Group called “We are Wisconsin,” comprised of many groups, organizations and unions. I am part of the team organizing the rally planned for March 12. The rally organizer crew is made up of so much talent from all over the United States. Today, I went to meet the chief of police regarding rally organizing and logistics.

On March 12, we are planning for one hundred thousand people to be protesting in Madison…

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

Stay tuned for more dispatches from Wisconsin.