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In Wisconsin, union leaders hold out hope for November

Supporters of the recall election for Governor Scott Walker gather outside of the Wisconsin State Capitol June 5, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin.

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David Brancaccio: In Wisconsin, Republican Scott Walker has won the recall election and will stay on as Governor. That win says plenty about politics in Wisconsin and about new challenges for the labor movement across the country.

Marketplace's David Gura reports.


David Gura: Dennis Van Roekel, the head of the National Education Association, says he and other union leaders are disappointed in yesterday’s vote. But Van Roekel says they are also optimistic.

Dennis Van Roekel: One of the things that this has done is it has engaged and invigorated and energized labor all across this country.

The recall vote attracted national attention because it involved some hot-button issues -- deficits and collective bargaining -- and that led to some big donations -- tens of millions of dollars.  And a lot of that money came from outside the Badger State.

UC Berkeley Professor Harley Shaiken specializes in labor issues:

Harley Shaiken: Unions poured considerable resources into this recall fight, but they were no match on the dollar front with the kind of money Governor Walker was able to tap into.

But what they did have was a solid ground game -- they knocked on doors, made phone calls, and relied on smaller donations, and labor leaders say they’re hopeful that strategy will win the day in November.

In Washington, I'm David Gura for Marketplace.

 

 

About the author

David Gura is a reporter for Marketplace, based in the Washington, D.C. bureau.
FrankC's picture
FrankC - Jun 6, 2012

Are you talking about this Harley Shaikin? From Wikipedia:
Harley Shaiken is a prominent U.S. labor academic and socialist activist. He is director of the Center for Latin American Studies at the university of California, Berkeley.

FrankC's picture
FrankC - Jun 6, 2012

Saying that Scott Walker won because of all the money that his campaign brought in would be an insult to the intelligence of the voters of Wisconsin.
Those people knew exactly what they were voting for, or against.

jimbroski23's picture
jimbroski23 - Jun 6, 2012

Everyone who voted knew exactly what they were voting for??? Then you must believe that the same statement will be true in November. And the incredulity that I hold for that statement applies to those who voted for & against the re-call.