MONROE - More than 100 union workers and supporters rallied loudly but peacefully Tuesday at city hall, and during a march around Monroe's downtown Square.
"This is the first time you'll probably ever see a crowd like this in Monroe," said Johnny Hinojosa, president of the local 3760 AFSCME union, and an employee with the city's water utility.
Hinojosa said the rally was intended to build solidarity among the unions, and to show "we don't agree with what Governor Scott Walker is doing."
Local city union workers were joined by members and leaders of 10 different unions from around the area, according to Ed Reynolds.
"It think this was really wonderful," said Reynolds, who works in the city engineering department. "We have to stand together to get back what we lost."
The new state law limiting collective bargaining for public workers - for everything except salary increases no greater than inflation - does not go into effect until the day after Secretary of State Doug La Follette publishes it. La Follette said Monday that he will delay publication until the latest day possible, March 25, to give local governments time to try to reach agreements.
Meanwhile, more city contract negotiations with police dispatchers and city workers are scheduled for March 21, and many unions around the state are rushing to try and ink contracts prior to the law's implementation.
Hinojosa hopes to have his union's contract settled by the end of that meeting.
"I don't really see it going beyond that. Both sides are bargaining in good faith now," he said.
Catherine Kehoe, vice president of local 3760 and an engineering department employee, helped organize the event, which drew union supporters from as far as Janesville and Madison. She invited the Monroe teacher's union, Green County unions and Janesville educational assistants and support unions to join in.
"This is not a rally against the city or city politics," Kehoe said. "It is to give people in the city and local area a voice. It's to encourage people to the future."
Kehoe said many local union members did not have an opportunity to go to Madison to participate in the mass rallies at the capitol, which at one point drew 100,000.
"As far as I know, all the people have shown up for work at the city," said Phil Rath, city administrator. "And they have been very professional through all this."
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, and State Rep. Janice Ringhand, D-Evansville, appeared at the rally to show their support and briefly address the group.
In an interview after the rally, Ringhand said she was encouraged by the turnout, with union members attending in support of friends and neighbors. Protesters have been angry about the governor's new laws, but civil at recent rallies across the state, she added.
"People's rights should not be trampled this way," she said. "This has rallied people. It's been said that maybe we should thank Scott Walker for rallying the people. Nobody else has been able to do that."
Kris Wisnefski, co-chair of the Green County Democratic Party, also attended.
"I'm concerned about fairness," she said. "And as a nurse, I'm concerned about changes in BadgerCare, Medicaid and Senior Care. People effected by this are on very limited incomes."
Kehoe was hoping to see about 50 people at the rally - 52 union members work for the city.
"This is fabulous," she said of the crowd. "Sometimes you feel like you're out there in your own... I feel re-energized."
"This is the first time you'll probably ever see a crowd like this in Monroe," said Johnny Hinojosa, president of the local 3760 AFSCME union, and an employee with the city's water utility.
Hinojosa said the rally was intended to build solidarity among the unions, and to show "we don't agree with what Governor Scott Walker is doing."
Local city union workers were joined by members and leaders of 10 different unions from around the area, according to Ed Reynolds.
"It think this was really wonderful," said Reynolds, who works in the city engineering department. "We have to stand together to get back what we lost."
The new state law limiting collective bargaining for public workers - for everything except salary increases no greater than inflation - does not go into effect until the day after Secretary of State Doug La Follette publishes it. La Follette said Monday that he will delay publication until the latest day possible, March 25, to give local governments time to try to reach agreements.
Meanwhile, more city contract negotiations with police dispatchers and city workers are scheduled for March 21, and many unions around the state are rushing to try and ink contracts prior to the law's implementation.
Hinojosa hopes to have his union's contract settled by the end of that meeting.
"I don't really see it going beyond that. Both sides are bargaining in good faith now," he said.
Catherine Kehoe, vice president of local 3760 and an engineering department employee, helped organize the event, which drew union supporters from as far as Janesville and Madison. She invited the Monroe teacher's union, Green County unions and Janesville educational assistants and support unions to join in.
"This is not a rally against the city or city politics," Kehoe said. "It is to give people in the city and local area a voice. It's to encourage people to the future."
Kehoe said many local union members did not have an opportunity to go to Madison to participate in the mass rallies at the capitol, which at one point drew 100,000.
"As far as I know, all the people have shown up for work at the city," said Phil Rath, city administrator. "And they have been very professional through all this."
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, and State Rep. Janice Ringhand, D-Evansville, appeared at the rally to show their support and briefly address the group.
In an interview after the rally, Ringhand said she was encouraged by the turnout, with union members attending in support of friends and neighbors. Protesters have been angry about the governor's new laws, but civil at recent rallies across the state, she added.
"People's rights should not be trampled this way," she said. "This has rallied people. It's been said that maybe we should thank Scott Walker for rallying the people. Nobody else has been able to do that."
Kris Wisnefski, co-chair of the Green County Democratic Party, also attended.
"I'm concerned about fairness," she said. "And as a nurse, I'm concerned about changes in BadgerCare, Medicaid and Senior Care. People effected by this are on very limited incomes."
Kehoe was hoping to see about 50 people at the rally - 52 union members work for the city.
"This is fabulous," she said of the crowd. "Sometimes you feel like you're out there in your own... I feel re-energized."