Support Us or Else: Wisconsin Unions Bully Local Businesses With Ultimatum

Having lost the battle over collective bargaining rights in the capital, the Wisconsin unionistas are now taking their fight to local businesses.

Seven union heads have sent the below letter to Marshall & Ilsley Corporation, a financial services firm. In the letter, the union members give the president of the company an ultimatum: publicly denounce Gov. Scott Walker's anti-collective bargaining law, or face union boycott.

March 10, 2011

Mr. Tom Ellis, President

Marshall & Ilsley Corporation

770 N. Water Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

SENT VIA FASCIMILE AND REGULAR MAIL

Dear Mr. Ellis:

As you undoubtedly know, Governor Walker recently proposed a “budget adjustment bill” to eviscerate public employees’ right to collectively bargain in Wisconsin...

As you also know, Scott Walker did not campaign on this issue when he ran for office. If he had, we are confident that you would not be listed among his largest contributors. As such, we are contacting you now to request your support.

The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17. In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.

In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.

Wisconsin’s public employee unions serve to protect and promote equality and fairness in the workplace. We hope you will stand with us and publicly share that ideal.

In the event you would like to discuss this matter further, please contact the

Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer, at 608.273.3840.

Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

James L. Palmer, Executive Director

Wisconsin Professional Police Association

Mahlon Mitchell,President

Professional Professional Fire Fighters

Jim Conway, President

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 311

John Matthews, Execuctive Director

Madison Teachers, Inc.

Keith Patt, Executive Director

Green Bay Education Association

Bob Richardson, President

Dane County Deputy Sheriffs Association

Dan Frei, Prersident

Madison Professional Police Officers Association

The primary signatory of the letter is James L. Palmer, the executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association:

The unions have also taken aim at a chief financial backer of Gov. Walker, M&I bank.

From The Nation:

M&I Bank is the largest bank in Wisconsin, and was the recipient of $1.7 billion in TARP bailout money from the federal government. The bundled contributions from M&I executives were Walker’s second largest source of campaign funds. According  to records provided by the Sunlight Foundation, executives at M&I Bank gave $46,308 to Walker’s campaign. And now, a group of local unions in Wisconsin have threatened to pull their money from M&I Bank unless it denounces Scott Walker’s attack on workers’ rights.