Illinois Stands in Solidarity with Wisconsin Workers

Date:

03/04/2011

Over 2,200 people gathered at the Thompson Center in Chicago on Saturday, February 27 to demand an end to the assault on the middle class. Senator Durbin and State Senator Don Harmon joined with Moveon.org members, Citizen Action Illinois members, and union members from the IL AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 31, the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, along with the Sierra Club.

"Governor Walker in Wisconsin wants to frame this as a battle about budgets and deficits" stated William McNary, Co-Director of Citizen Action Illinois. "If the Governor was so concerned about the Wisconsin shortfall of $137 million today, he probably shouldn't have signed a bill to give $117 million to Big Corporations in January."

Other speakers included U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Tim Drea, AFSCME Council 31 Deputy Director Roberta Lynch, Illinois Director of MoveOn.org Ilya Sheyman and MoveOn.org member Midge Hough, President Pro-Tem of the Illinois State Senate Don Harmon, Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308 President Robert Kelly, and Illinois Sierra Club President Jack Darin.

“What’s at stake in Wisconsin is a basic concept of American liberty and freedom,” Senator Durbin said, drawing applause and roars from the crowd. The Senator went on to tell all the brave politicians that left Wisconsin “You are always welcome in Illinois."