Tuesday, March 8, International Women’s Day, on “More Room On the Outside” on DCTV, journalist Pete Tucker joined co-host Toussaint Tingling-Clemmons for a wide-ranging discussion. From D.C. to Wisconsin, unions are under attack, particularly teachers’ and nurses’ unions, which are overwhelmingly female.
Tingling-Clemmons said, “Most people have multiple folks in their lives who are a part of a union, or who were able to work or to live because of unions. The 8-hour workday we got because of the union. Before that, bosses could require you to work as long as they chose and if you didn’t work that time they could fire you for no cause. The reason that we can fight sexual harassment in the workplace is because of unions. All of these things are rights that unions fought for and now unions are completely under attack and it’s a shame.”
Appearing on “Morning Joe” on MSNBC Tuesday morning, former D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty (D) offered support for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) anti-union efforts. Fenty said, “This is kind of what I faced in four years as mayor… [Walker is] right on the substance, I think. I tend to agree with him on the need for collective bargaining reform. But he’s also right on the politics… Most governors and mayors would love to be able to manage their team without interference of collective bargaining… I believe that managers have the ability to set fair wages, and to set fair hours, and to reward people or hold them accountable. I think it’s a new day. I think a lot of these collective bargaining agreements are completely outdated.”
Tucker said, “These are extraordinary statements, [although] maybe not all that surprising if one [looks at the record of the Fenty administration]. In a lot of ways, Scott Walker is just a poor man’s version of [former D.C. Schools Chancellor] Michelle Rhee. Michelle Rhee is an excellent politician. Scott Walker clearly is not. But you look at the attack on collective bargaining, that was here [in D.C.]. That was [done by] Michelle Rhee and Fenty. So maybe it’s not surprising to hear Fenty defending Scott Walker.”