% >> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
% PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
% PRODUCTION.
% >> THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR
% HERE & NOW 2022 ELECTION
% COVERAGE.
% THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR AND U.S.
% SENATE GETS TIGHTER WITH ISSUES
% LIKE CRIME AND ABORTION
% ACTIVATING VOTERS.
% ELECTION OFFICIALS DEAL WITH
% LAST-MINUTE BALLOT GUIDANCE.
% TURNOUT IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
% WON'T BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED THIS
% YEAR.
% AND AN ELEVENTH-HOUR DEAL AVERTS
% A MASSIVE NURSES' STRIKE.
% I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG. TONIGHT
% ON HERE AND NOW.
% CHARLES FRANKLIN IS BACK WITH
% HIS LATEST SURVEY OF VOTERS.
% A COUNTY CLERK ON THE STRESSES
% MOUNTING FOR LOCAL ELECTION
% OFFICIALS.
% A LOOK AT WHY CAMPAIGNS ARE
% FOCUSING EFFORTS IN SOUTHEAST
% WISCONSIN.
% AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE UW
% HEALTH NURSES' UNION.
% IT'S HERE AND NOW, FOR
% SEPTEMBER 16.
% >> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
% PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR%
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.
% >> 53 DAYS OUT FROM THE NOVEMBER
% ELECTION AND IT'S ANYBODY'S
% RACE.
% THE LATEST POLL SHOWING IT
% NECK-AND-NECK FOR U.S. SENATE
% AND WISCONSIN GOVERNOR.
% MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL
% DIRECTOR CHARLES FRANKLY IS HERE
% WITH HIS RESULTS RELEASED THIS
% WEEK.
% AND HI, CHARLES.
% >> GOOD TO BE HERE.
% >> SO THIS SURE IS A NAIL-BITER.
% >> AS IT OFTEN IS IN WISCONSIN.
% AFTER SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A
% LEAD FOR BARNES IN THE SENATE
% RACE, THAT'S NOW TIGHTENED TO A
% ONE-POINT JOHNSON LEAD AND IN
% THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, A LITTLE
% TIGHTENING FROM A 4-POINT EVERS
% LEAD TO A 3-POINT LEAD, ALL
% INSIDE THE MARGIN OF ERROR.
% >> LET'S GO BACK TO THE U.S.
% SENATE RACE AND AS YOU JUST
% SUGGESTED, IN AUGUST BARNES WAS
% 7 POINTS AHEAD.
% WHAT HAPPENED THERE IN SUCH A
% SHORT TIME?
% >> WELL, I THINK IT WAS THE
% POSITIVE SIDE OF THE PRIMARY WIN
% THAT MANDELA BARNES HAD A STRONG
% PRIMARY, THREE OF HIS OPPONENTS
% DROPPED OUT AND ENDORSED HIM,
% THE WINS THE PRIMARY EASILY.
% AND SO YOU GET A BUMP FROM THAT.
% BUT WHILE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS
% ESPECIALLY HAD A VERY POSITIVE
% VIEW OF HIM AND SO DID
% INDEPENDENTS, THERE WAS 41%
% WITHOUT AN OPINION OF HIM IN
% AUGUST.
% AND NOW IT'S NOT THE PRIMARY,
% WELCOME TO THE NFL, IT'S TIME
% FOR GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN
% ADVERTISEMENTS, AND I THINK
% THAT'S PRETTY CLEARLY TAKEN A
% TOLL.
% I DON'T THINK IT'S UNEXPECTED
% WHEN YOU HAVE 40% WHO DON'T
% KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
% VULNERABLE TO THAT.
% NOW SOME OF THAT INITIAL IMPACT
% HAS HAPPENED, WE HAVE A VERY
% TIGHT RACE, AND WE'LL SEE WHAT
% HAPPENS IN THOSE LAST -- WHAT
% DID YOU SAY, 53 DAYS.
% >> LET'S GO BACK THEN TO THE
% GOVERNOR'S RACE.
% 47% OF YOUR POLL RESPONDENTS
% SUPPORT TONY EVERS, 44% FAVOR
% TIM MICHELS, BUT THEN THERE'S
% THIS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE OUT
% THERE WITH 5%.
% HOW DANGEROUS IS THAT FOR EITHER
% ONE OF THESE CAMPAIGNS?
% >> WELL, HER NAME WILL BE ON THE
% BALLOT.
% LOOK, WHAT WE SEE WITH
% INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES IS THEY
% REFLECT -- THEIR SUPPORT
% REFLECTS THE DISAFFECTION FOR
% THE TWO MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATES.
% AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE EITHER
% EVERS OR MICHELS HAVE A NAME
% THERE THAT THEY CAN PICK ON THE
% SURVEY.
% NOW, THEY'LL HAVE THAT NAME ON
% THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AS WELL.
% USUALLY INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES
% GET 1% OR LESS BY NOVEMBER.
% AND IN OUR POLLING, WE SEE THEM
% POLL IN THE MID SINGLE DIGITS IN
% AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AND NARROW
% DOWN TO LOW SINGLE DIGITS AT THE
% END OF THE MONTH -- OR THE
% CAMPAIGN.
% SUSPENDING HER CAMPAIGN WASN'T A
% VERY VISIBLE CAMPAIGN TO BEGIN
% WITH, I THINK IT WILL KIND OF
% DISAPPEAR, BUT IT ALSO IS AN
% INDICATOR THAT 7%, 5% ARE NOT
% THAT THRILLED WITH THE MAJOR
% PARTIES RIGHT NOW.
% >> YOU HAVE A NEW QUESTION ON
% CRIME, WHICH IS IN THE TOP FIVE
% FOR BOTH PARTIES, BUT YOUR
% QUESTION THAT WE LOOKED AT GOES
% MORE GRANULAR.
% YOU ASKED, DO YOU FEEL SAFE FROM
% CRIME WHEN GOING ABOUT YOUR
% DAILY ACTIVITIES OR ARE YOU
% WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SAFETY?
% PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE
% ARE THE MOST WORRIED ABOUT THEIR
% SAFETY BY A WIDE MARGIN.
% IS THIS KIND OF RESPONSE WHAT
% MAKES CRIME SUCH A SALIENT ISSUE
% FOR REPUBLICANS PARTICULARLY WHO
% ARE HITTING DEMOCRATS SUPER HARD
% ON THIS?%>> I THINK THERE'S A
CONTRAST
% HERE THAT ON THE QUESTION ABOUT
% HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT
% CRIME, REPUBLICANS ARE QUITE
% CONCERNED.
% BUT ACROSS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE,
% DO YOU FEEL SAFE OR NOT, THERE'S
% JUST NO PARTY DIFFERENCE ON THAT
% QUESTION.
% AND SO I THINK WHAT WE SEE IS
% THE USE OF CRIME OR THE WAY THAT
% PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT CRIME AS AN
% ISSUE THAT'S SOMEWHAT DIVORCED
% FROM THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES,
% AND THAT, I THINK, IS THE MAIN
% THING.
% WE ALSO SEE THAT CITY RESIDENTS
% WORRY IN THEIR DAILY LIVES AND
% ARE QUITE CONCERNED.
% SUBURBAN MILWAUKEE RESIDENTS
% DON'T WORRY MUCH IN THEIR DAILY
% LIVES BUT ARE ALMOST AS
% CONCERNED AS CITY RESIDENTS, AND
% THEN WHEN YOU MOVE TO MADISON,
% GREEN BAY, LA CROSSE, EAU
% CLAIRE, THE NORTH OF THE STATE,
% CONCERN AND PERSONAL FEAR GOES
% WAY DOWN.
% SO MOST OF THE STATE, PEOPLE
% FEEL PRETTY SAFE IN THEIR DAILY
% LIVES AND AREN'T AS CONCERNED,
% BUT IN THE CITY AND THE SUBURBS
% AROUND MILWAUKEE, CONCERN IS
% HIGH IN BOTH AND PERSONAL
% CONCERN, PERSONAL FEAR IS
% ESPECIALLY HIGH IN THE CITY,
% WHERE IT'S ABOUT A 50/50 SPLIT.
% >> LET'S GO TO THE ISSUE OF
% ABORTION.%YOU ASKED IN THIS
POLL QUESTION,
% DO YOU THINK WISCONSIN SHOULD OR
% SHOULD NOT ALLOW A WOMAN TO
% OBTAIN A LEGAL ABORTION IF SHE
% BECAME PREGNANT AS A RESULT OF A
% RAPE O OR INCEST?
% OVERALL, 83 PEST SAID WISCONSIN
% SHOULD ALLOW WITH EVEN 70% OF
% REPUBLICANS SAYING YES AND ALSO
% A TOTAL OF 63% OF RESPONDENTS,
% INCLUDING REPUBLICANS, OPPOSE
% THE OVERTURNING OF ROE V. WADE.
% IS THIS WHY ABORTION IS PROVING
% TO BE A DIFFICULT ISSUE FOR
% REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES?
% >> I THINK IT CLEARLY IS.
% THIS IS WHERE BEING PRO-LIFE HAS
% NOT NECESSARILY MEANT WANTING
% THESE EXTREMELY SEVERE
% RESTRICTIONS WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS
% FOR RAPE AND INCEST.
% WE ADDED THAT QUESTION PRECISELY
% BECAUSE IT'S A REAL LEGAL ISSUE
% BEFORE THE STATE RIGHT NOW WITH
% OUR LAW FROM 1849 AND WE DON'T
% KNOW WHAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT.
% I DO THINK IT SHOWS THAT THERE'S
% BROAD SUPPORT ACROSS PARTY FOR
% RAPE AND INCEST EXCEPTIONS.
% THE CHALLENGE FOR LAWMAKERS AND
% ESPECIALLY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS
% IS HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT PUBLIC
% OPINION WHEN YOU'VE ALSO SPENT A
% CAREER BEING DEDICATED TO
% PRO-LIFE POSITIONS.
% IT'S A DILEMMA FOR THEM QUITE A
% BIT NOW HERE IN THE STATE AND
% ELSEWHERE.%>> ALL RIGHT, CHAR
LES FRANKLIN,
% THANKS VERY MUCH.%>> THANK Y
OU.
% >> VOTING RULES AND GUIDANCE ARE
% STILL CHANGING EVEN THIS CLOSE
% TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
% THE LATEST CHANGE SAW A COURT
% AND THEN THE WISCONSIN ELECTIONS
% COMMISSION THIS WEEK DUMP
% GUIDANCE TO CLERKS THAT THEY
% COULD FIX THE PART OF ABSENTEE
% BALLOT ENVELOPES HOLDING THE
% WITNESS SIGNATURES, CURING SUCH
% THINGS AS A ZIP CODE OR SPELLING
% OF A STREET NAME.
% IS THAT A BIG DEAL?
% WE ASKED DANE COUNTY CLERK SCOTT
% MACDONALD.
% THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
% >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
% >> SO IS IT A BIG DEAL?
% WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO DUMPING
% THE GUIDANCE THAT CLERKS CAN
% CURE ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN THIS
% WAY?%>> WELL, FOR THE MOST PA
RT, IT
% JUST MEANS MORE WORK FOR THE
% CLERKS.
% I THINK WE SAW THAT IN THE
% AUGUST ELECTION.
% CLERKS ARE SPENDING A LOT OF
% TIME TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
% ENVELOPES THAT WEREN'T COMPLETE
% WERE GETTING BACK TO THE VOTERS
% SO THEY COULD COMPLETE IT AND
% GET IT BACK AGAIN.
% YOU KNOW, THEY DID THAT WORK.
% THERE WAS ONLY A HANDFUL OF
% BALLOTS THAT I SAW THAT HAD BEEN
% CURED AND SO THEN WHEN WE -- YOU
% KNOW, 25 OF THEM, I THINK, OUT
% OF 130,000 IN AUGUST IN DANE
% COUNTY.
% BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE CLERKS WERE
% WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT
% THEY HAD GOTTEN CURED AND YOU'RE
% GOING TO SEE EVEN MORE OF THAT
% IN NOVEMBER, JUST BECAUSE NUMBER
% OF VOTERS GOES UP.
% >> IN YOUR MIND, DID THAT KIND
% OF CURING RESULT IN FRAUD?
% >> NO, ALL OF THOSE -- THE
% CURING WAS DONE BY CLERKS AFTER
% THEY COULD VERIFY WHO THAT
% PERSON WAS.
% THEY LOOKED THEM UP IN THE
% SYSTEM, THEY COULD VERIFY THE
% ADDRESS, THE PERSON.
% SO YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF THAT
% COULD HAVE BEEN TRACED BACK TO
% SHOW WHO IT WAS, AND THE PURPOSE
% OF THAT ADDRESS, FOR EXAMPLE,
% FOR THE WITNESS IS SO THAT LAW
% ENFORCEMENT CAN INTERVIEW THEM
% AND SAY, IS THIS THE PERSON WHO
% VOTED?
% DID YOU SEE THEM VOTE?
% IS THERE FRAUD?
% SO FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, IF
% YOU CAN SHOW LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO
% THIS PERSON IS AND WHERE TO FIND
% THEM, THAT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE,
% IT PREVENTS FRAUD.
% >> DO YOU THINK THAT THE NEW
% RULES WILL DISCOURAGE PEOPLE
% FROM VOTING ABSENTEE OR RESULT
% IN NUMBERS OF BALLOTS BEING
% THROWN OUT, OR WHAT DO YOU
% THINK?
% >> YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S
% REALLY ON THE MARGIN, AND I
% WOULD SAY IT'S EVENLY
% DISTRIBUTED AROUND THE STATE.
% I MEAN, GENERALLY THESE MISTAKES
% THAT WE SEE OFTEN ARE AN OLDER
% COUPLE LIVING AT HOME, THEY
% WITNESS EACH OTHER'S BALLOT, AND
% THAT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE KIND OF
% EVENLY.
% SO I DON'T THINK IT AFFECTS THE
% ELECTION, AND I DON'T THINK
% THERE'S A LOT OF IT, BUT IT'S
% JUST FRUSTRATING FROM A CLERK'S
% POINT OF VIEW, BECAUSE WE CAN
% SEE WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE, AND TO
% DISENFRANCHISE THEM JUST SEEMS
% WRONG.%>> WHAT IS IT LIKE THI
S YEAR,
% TRYING TO READY FOR A MAJOR
% ELECTION?
% >> WELL, IN SOME WAYS, IT'S THE
% SAME OLD SAME OLD.
% I MEAN, WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME.
% BUT I THINK THE BIGGER
% DIFFERENCE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE
% SEEN JUST OUR WORKLOAD REALLY GO
% UP.
% A LOT OF OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS
% COMING IN.
% I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY I'VE
% GOTTEN.%AND IT'S TRUE ALL OV
ER THE STATE
% AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,
% HONESTLY.
% ALSO JUST TRYING TO PLAN
% CONTINGENCY WISE FOR THINGS YOU
% HAVEN'T HAD TO WORRY ABOUT
% BEFORE, DISRUPTIONS IN THE
% POLLING PLACES, HOW ARE YOU
% GOING TO MAKE SURE LAW
% ENFORCEMENT AND THE CLERK'S
% OFFICE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ON
% HOW THEY'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO
% THOSE THINGS?
% JUST A LOT MORE WORKLOAD THAN
% NORMAL.%>> SO IN TERMS OF TH
OSE OPEN
% RECORDS REQUESTS, ARE THESE FROM
% PEOPLE WANTING TO SLEUTH OUT
% FRAUD?
% >> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF
% DIFFERENT OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
% THE ONES THAT I'VE GOTTEN
% RECENTLY SEEM -- THE GOAL SEEMS
% TO BE TO PREVENT THE DESTRUCTION
% OF MATERIALS FROM THE 2020
% LUCKTION.
% LUCK 2020
% ELECTION.
% SO RIGHT NOW, AFTER 22 MONTHS,
% IS WHEN WE WOULD DESTROY THINGS
% LIKE THE BALLOTS TO MAKE ROOM
% FOR THE ONES COMING IN NOVEMBER,
% THE ENVELOPES, YOU KNOW, POLL
% BOOKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
% SO THEY TEND TO BE A COPY AND
% PASTE THAT HAVE GONE ALL OVER
% THE PLACE SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU
% MUST RETAIN THESE RECORDS, THERE
% MAY BE A LAWSUIT, OR THIS IS AN
% OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, BUT THEN
% WHEN YOU FOLLOW UP WITH THEM,
% IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO NAIL
% THEM DOWN ON WHAT THEY WANT.
% THEY SEEM TO BE JUST TRYING TO
% DELAY THE NORMAL CYCLE FOR US,
% AND OF COURSE THAT CREATES ITS
% OWN CHALLENGES FOR CLERKS AROUND
% THE STATE.
% >> YOU SPOKE TO CONTINGENCY
% PLANS AT POLLING PLACES THIS
% YEAR, LIKE WHAT?
% >> WELL, WE SAW IN MICHIGAN, YOU
% KNOW, THERE WAS TRAININGS GOING
% ON IN SOME COUNTIES WHERE THEY
% WERE URGING POLL WATCHERS TO
% BRING CAMERAS IN AND
% SURREPTITIOUSLY DO THINGS%AG
AINST THE LAW.
% YOU REALLY CAN'T RECORD PEOPLE
% VOTING IN A POLLING PLACE, FOR
% OBVIOUS REASONS.
% AND FOR SOME NOT SO OBVIOUS
% REASONS.%THERE ARE PEOPLE VOT
ING THERE
% WHO ARE CONFIDENTIAL VOTERS WHO
% ARE, YOU KNOW, VICTIMS OF
% DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
% SO WE JUST WORRY THERE MAY BE
% PEOPLE BEING DISRUPTED IN THE D-
% DISRUPTIVE IN THE POLLING PLACE.
% THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN AUGUST,
% SO MAYBE IT'S MUCH TO DO ABOUT
% NOTHING, BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSUME
% THE WORST, AND HOPE FOR THE
% BEST.%>> YOU SPOKE THIS WEEK
ABOUT
% PERSISTENT MISINFORMATION AROUND
% ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.
% WHAT DOES THIS DO TO PEOPLE'S
% FAITH IN THE PROCESS?
% >> WELL, THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK
% IF HALF THE VOTERS DON'T THINK
% THEIR BALLOTS ARE BEING TALLIED
% CORRECTLY OR THE MACHINES HAVE
% BEEN HACKED.
% SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN DO
% ABOUT IT.
% BUT DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON BOTH
% SIDES BELIEVING IN THE RESULTS.
% >> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE LEAVE IT
% THERE AND WE WISH YOU LUCK,
% SCOTT MCDONALD.
% THANK YOU.
% >> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
% >> WITH LESS THAN TWO MONTHS
% UNTIL THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, GET
% OUT THE VOTE GROUPS HAVE THEIR
% WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM.
% "HERE AND NOW" REPORTER STEVEN
% POTTER CAUGHT UP WITH FOLKS
% WORKING TO INCREASE VOTER
% TURNOUT FOR A SPECIFIC AND
% SOMEWHAT NEGLECTED DEMOGRAPHIC
% IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.
% >> OUTREACH WORKERS ARE HITTING
% THE STREETS TO GET OUT THE
% VOTE AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER
% ELECTIONS.
% >> I FEEL LIKE I'M LACKING A
% LITTLE EDUCATION JUST BECAUSE I
% DON'T KNOW WHO TO VOTE FOR.
% >> VOTERS LIKE MIRACLE HOLMES IN%
RACINE WELCOME THE PERSONALTIME
% AND ATTENTION.
% >> WHEN YOU AREN'T BEING%ENGA
GED, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT TO% FEEL THA
T YOU'RE BEING IGNORED.
% >> THERE ARE NEARLY 250,000%
BLACK RESIDENTS IN THE CITIES
% OF MILWAUKEE, RACINE AND
% KENOSHA. THOSE RESIDENTS,
% HOWEVER, HAVELONG SAID THAT
% ELECTED OFFICIALS, POLITICIANS%
AND THEIR CAMPAIGNSHAVE%NEGLECTE
D BLACK COMMUNITIES.% >> I THINK WHY
RESIDENTS HAVE% FELT IGNORED BECAU
SE LARGELY WE
% HAD BEEN, AND I THINK 2016
% PROVED IT.
% >> THAT'S WHEN EXPERTS SAY
% DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
% CANDIDATE HILLARY CLINTON TOOK%
THE BLACK VOTE FOR GRANTED,
% NEVER VISITED WISCONSIN,
% ULTIMATELY LOST THE STATE.
% IN RESPONSE TO THAT NEGLECT AND
% TO HELP BLACK LEADERS MAKE THEIR
% VOICE HEARD, ANGELA LANGE
% CREATED THE MILWAUKEE GROUP
% KNOWN AS BLOC, WHICH STANDS FOR
% BLACK LEADERS ORGANIZING FOR
% COMMUNITIES.
% >> BLOC IS A YEAR ROUND CIVIC%
ENGAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT%LAUN
CHED AFTER THE 2016% ELECTION.
% IN SOME WAYS, PEOPLE WERE VERY
% FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF%EN
GAGEMENT.
% I PERSONALLY WAS VERY FRUSTRATED
% TO HEAR FROM DEMOCRATS AND
% PROGRESSIVES THAT SAID IF YOU
% PEOPLE WOULD HAVE JUST COME OUT,
% WE WOULDN'T BE HERE.
% AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A
% COMPLETELY MISGUIDED
% INTERPRETATION OF THE ELECTION
% BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS SOME OF
% THE MOST DISENFRANCHISED AND
% LEAST ENGAGED, BUT YET WE WERE%
TO BLAME.
% WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
% BUILDING LONG TERM BLACK
% POLITICAL POWER.
% WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
% FEEL THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO
% DEMOCRACY AND THAT THEY CAN
% FULLY PARTICIPATE IN IT BECAUSE
% THEY KNOW HOW DEMOCRACY AND
% THESE INSTITUTIONS FUNCTION.
% I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK
% OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AS JUST
% VOTING WHEN IT'S SO MUCH MORE%
THAN THAT.
% >> SINCE ITS CREATION AFTER THE
% 2016 ELECTION, BLOC HAS GROWN
% TO INCLUDE UPWARDS OF 50
% SO-CALLED AMBASSADORS, EMPLOYEES
% OUT KNOCKING ON DOORS, ENGAGING
% RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
% >> OUR BREAD AND BUTTER IS%RE
ALLY KNOCKING ON DOORS,% MEETING PE
OPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT,% AND ASKING T
HE QUESTION, WHAT% DOES IT LOOK LIK
E FOR THE BLACK% COMMUNITY TO THRIV
E?
% >> WITH THE SUCCESS BLOC HAS HAD
% IN MILWAUKEE, THE GROUP EXPANDED
% INTO THE CITIES OF RACINE AND%
KENOSHA.
% JAVONNA LUE IS LEADING THE BLOC%
EXPANSION.
% >> MOST OF MY JOB ENTITLES
% BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
% >> BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND
% MANAGING NEW RACINE AND KENOSHA
% AMBASSADORS.%LUE HAS HER TEAM
KNOCKING ON
% DOORS IN THESE TWO CITIES A FEW
% TIMES A WEEK.
% >> AMONG THE PRIMARY ISSUES THAT
% BLOC ORGANIZERS ARE HEARING FROM
% RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNS OVER
% AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SAFETY,
% INFLATION, AND THE NEED FOR
% FAMILY-SUPPORTING JOBS.
% LUE SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
% OUT AND VOTE BECAUSE OF ALL
% THAT'S AT STAKE.
% >> WHY WOULDN'T YOU GET OUT
% THERE AND VOTE?
% IF WE DON'T GET OUT THERE AND
% VOTE, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MAKE
% A DECISION THAT DOESN'T GO WITH
% THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE.
% >> AS TO VOTER TURNOUT, IT
% CHANGES FROM ELECTION TO
% ELECTION.
% WE TALKED WITH UW MILWAUKEE
% POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR.
% >> ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK
% REALLY BROUGHT ON KIND OF SOME
% CONCERN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
% IS THAT THE BLACK VOTERS HAVE
% BEEN THE BACKBONE OF THAT PARTY
% FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND I THINK
% 2020 REMINDED THEM THAT THERE
% ARE TIMES WHEN YOU CANNOT TAKE
% THAT VOTE FOR GRANTED.
% >> ALTHOUGH BLACK RESIDENTS TEND
% TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATIC
% CANDIDATES, REPUBLICANS SAY
% THEY'RE WELCOMING THOSE VOTERS
% TO THEIR SIDE OF THE POLITICAL
% AISLE.
% KEN BROWN IS CHAIRMAN OF THE
% REPUBLICAN PARTY OF RACINE
% COUNTY.%>> I AM EXCITED FOR
MORE AND
% MORE BLACK VOTER TURNOUT BECAUSE
% AS I SAID, WE ARE ONE OF THE
% MOST DIVERSE CITIES IN AMERICA
% AND IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN%
AND A LOT OF BLACK VOTERS ARE
% COMING IN AND THEY'RE LOOKING IN
% A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
% THEY'RE PROSPEROUS, WE'VE
% ACTUALLY HAD PROBABLY 30% OF THE
% NEW BUSINESSES THAT HAVE OPENED
% IN DOWNTOWN RACINE OVER THE LAST
% COUPLE YEARS ARE BLACK-OWNED
% BUSINESSES.%THEY'RE WORKING
PROFESSIONALS.
% THEY'VE INVESTED A LOT IN THOSE
% BUSINESSES AND THEY WANT TO
% SUCCEED.
% AND I DON'T THINK SOCIALISM,
% WHICH IS WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC
% PARTY IS TODAY, IS GOING TO LEAD
% THEM TO THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS.
% SO I WELCOME BLACK LEADERSHIP TO
% COME IN AND ENCOURAGE BLACKS IN
% OUR COMMUNITY TO LOOK AT THE
% ISSUES AND LOOK AT THE
% CANDIDATES AND WHERE THEY
% ACTUALLY STAND.
% >> WHILE BLOC IS NOT AFFILIATED
% WITH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
% ANGELA LANGE SAYS THE GROUP DOES
% ENDORSE CANDIDATES AND FOR THIS
% YEAR'S ELECTIONS, THOSE HAVE
% BEEN DEMOCRATS.
% HOW VITAL IS THE BLACK VOTE FOR
% DEMOCRATS IN STATEWIDE RACES?
% >> THERE'S NO WAY TO WIN A
% STATEWIDE RACE WITHOUT THE BLACK
% VOTE, SPECIFICALLY MILWAUKEE,
% BUT THEN ALSO RACINE AND
% KENOSHA.
% IF YOU DON'T COURT OUR VOTE, YOU
% DON'T ENGAGE US OR WE JUST DON'T
% FEEL EXCITED ENOUGH, THEN THAT
% WILL RISK PEOPLE STAYING HOME.
% >> KYLE JOHNSON IS BLOC'S
% POLITICAL DIRECTOR.
% HE EXPECTS THE ENTIRE STATE WILL
% BE WATCHING SOUTHEASTERN
% WISCONSIN ON ELECTION NIGHT.
% >> WE KNOW BLACK FOLKS ARE GOING
% TO PLAY A SUPER IMPORTANT PART.
% WE KNOW WEAR GOING TO BE THE
% DECIDING FACTOR AND THAT MEANS
% WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO
% MEET THAT MOMENT AND MAKE SURE
% WE'RE GETTING OUR COMMUNITIES
% OUT HERE TO VOTE.
% >> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
% STEVEN POTTER IN KENOSHA.
% >> A STRIKE BY NURSES AT UW
% HEALTH IN MADISON WAS AVERTED
% THIS WEEK AFTER AN AGREEMENT
% WITH THE HOSPITAL TO REGULARLY
% TALK ABOUT WORKPLACE CONCERNS.
% >> WE'VE SHOWN UP FOR EACH OTHER
% TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD
% OUR COLLECTIVE POWER TO IMPROVE
% OUR WORKING CONDITIONS AND
% PATIENT CARE AT UW HEALTH.
% TODAY, WE CELEBRATE A BIG STEP
% FORWARD.
% WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK TOGETHER
% WITH THE UW ADMINISTRATION TO
% SOLVE THE CHALLENGES WE'RE
% FACING.
% THIS MOMENT MATTERS FOR
% HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND OTHER
% WORKING PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE
% COUNTRY.
% >> FOR UW HEALTH, FOR ITS BOARD,
% FOR ITS LEADERSHIP, FOR THE
% ORGANIZATION, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN
% ABOUT THE LEGAL QUESTION, CAN WE
% OR CAN WE NOT, AFTER ACT 10,
% RECOGNIZE A UNION, WHETHER
% VOLUNTARILY OR INVOLUNTARILY,
% FOR PURPOSES OF REPRESENTING OUR
% EMPLOYEES IN COLLECTIVE
% BARGAINING?%WE WANTED TO BE
ABLE TO COME
% TOGETHER IN A CONSTRUCTIVE,
% PRODUCTIVE WAY, FOCUSED ON
% PATIENT CARE ISSUES, FOCUS ON
% WORKFORCE ISSUES, FOCUS ON ALL
% THOSE THINGS THAT WE ALL CARE
% ABOUT.
% AND SO IN THAT REGARD, AS COLIN
% WAS TALKING ABOUT, RG WE WERE
% ABLE TO FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN
% BRING THOSE THAT WISH TO BE PART
% OF A UNION TO COME TO THE TABLE
% WITH US TO START TALKING ABOUT
% THESE ISSUES.
% >> THE NEXT STEP IS FOR THE
% STATE EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION TO
% RULE WHETHER THE HOSPITAL CAN
% RECOGNIZE AND BARGAIN WITH THE
% NURSES' UNION.
% ULTIMATELY THE COURTS WILL
% LIKELY DECIDE THAT QUESTION.
% IT'S COMPLICATED IN WISCONSIN,
% WITH ITS ACT 10 LAW THAT
% STRIPPED MOST PUBLIC UNIONS OF
% MOST BARGAINING RIGHTS,
% ESPECIALLY AS UW HOSPITAL NURSES
% ARE OUTSIDE THE PROVISIONS OF
% BARGAINING LAW, AND LOST THEIR
% UNION RIGHTS BECAUSE OF ACT 10.
% WE TURN TO DON TAYLOR, A
% PROFESSOR AT THE UW MADISON
% SCHOOL FOR WORKERS WHO HAS
% EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR
% UNIONS.
% PROFESSOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
% BEING HERE.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> SO HOW WOULD YOU REGARD THIS
% DETENTE THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK?
% IS THIS A WIN FOR THE NURSES'
% UNION?%>> I THINK IT IS, I TH
INK IT IS.
% THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS REACHED
% RECOGNIZES THAT THE WORKERS CAN
% JOIN THE UNION, CAN OPERATE AS
% AN ORGANIZATION INSIDE THE
% HOSPITAL AND CLINICS.
% WHILE THE THORNIER LEGAL
% QUESTIONS ARE YET TO BE
% RESOLVED, THE QUESTION OF
% WHETHER OR NOT THE NURSES CAN
% GET TOGETHER AND HAVE THEIR
% VOICES HEARD COLLECTIVELY
% APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
% >> DO YOU THINK THIS WILL SET
% SOME KIND OF A PRECEDENT GOING
% FORWARD FOR OTHER BARGAINING
% UNITS?
% >> I DON'T THINK DIRECTLY.
% I THINK BECAUSE THE NURSES ARE
% IN KIND OF A SPECIAL LEGAL
% STATUS WHERE THEY WERE REMOVED
% ENTIRELY FROM STATE COLLECTIVE
% BARGAINING LAW, THE OTHER PUBLIC
% EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS, HIGHWAY
% MAINTAINERS AND SO FORTH, ARE
% STILL COVERED BY WHAT'S LEFT OF
% WISCONSIN PUBLIC SECTOR
% BARGAINING LAW.
% AND SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO
% DO EXACTLY WHAT THE NURSES HAVE
% DONE, BUT THE NURSES' SUCCESS
% COULD CERTAINLY INSPIRE THEM TO
% TRY AND EXPERIMENT WITH
% DIFFERENT WAYS OF APPROACHING
% THE ISSUE.%>> BECAUSE WE SAW
LIKE 15,000
% NURSES IN MINNESOTA WALK OFF THE
% JOB, GO ON STRIKE, AND THEY'RE
% IN A VERY DIFFERENT POSITION
% THAN THE UW HEALTH NURSES, IS
% THAT RIGHT?
% >> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
% MINNESOTA HAS A VERY DIFFERENT
% SET OF LAWS, AND ACTUALLY ALLOWS
% PUBLIC SECTOR STRIKES IN SOME
% CASES UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.
% >> SO IT IS YOUR EXPERT BELIEF,
% THOUGH, THAT UW HOSPITAL COULD
% LEGALLY BARGAIN WITH ITS UNION
% NURSES?%>> YES, YES, THAT IS
MY
% POSITION.
% THE REMOVAL OF UW HEALTH FROM
% COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAW,
% UNLIKE OTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES,
% EFFECTIVELY PUTS THEM BACK IN
% THE SITUATION THAT ANY EMPLOYEE
% WAS IN PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENT OF
% COLLECTIVE BARGAINING LAW.
% AND IN THAT SITUATION, THE
% ABSENCE OF A STATUTE DOESN'T
% PROHIBIT VOLUNTARY COLLECTIVE
% BARGAINING FROM TAKING PLACE.
% IT SIMPLY DOESN'T REQUIRE IT.
% >> AND YET HERE WE ARE, LOOKING
% AT POTENTIALLY THE COURTS HAVING
% TO RESOLVE THIS AFTER THE STATE
% EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION MAKES ITS
% RULING, BUT IF THE COURTS
% RESOLVE IT, AND THAT IS WHAT UW
% HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION SAYS
% SHOULD HAPPEN, IS IT NOT LIKELY
% THAT IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO
% THE STATE HIGH COURT, WHICH IS
% THE COURT THAT RULED THAT ACT 10
% WAS CONSTITUTIONAL.
% SO YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK
% LIKE FOR THE NURSES' UNION GOING
% FORWARD?
% >> WELL, I WOULD ASSUME THAT
% THEY ARE CALCULATING THOSE RISKS
% AND THE SITUATION DOES NEED TO
% BE RESOLVED AS TO THEIR STATUS,
% WHICH ALTHOUGH I HAVE KIND OF A
% CLEAR VISION OF IT, IS UNIQUE.
% AND THE COURT COULD OBVIOUSLY
% RULE IN A WAY THAT'S DETRIMENTAL
% TO WHAT THE NURSES WANT, AND
% THEY'LL HAVE TO REGROUP AND
% RESTRATEGIZE AT THAT POINT.
% IT DOES SEEM THAT HOSPITAL
% MANAGEMENT HAS TAKEN THE
% POSITION THAT THEY ARE
% PROHIBITED FROM ENGAGING IN
% COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, AND THEY
% REALLY CAN'T STEP FORWARD
% FURTHER THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE
% WITHOUT SOME CLARIFICATION OF
% WHAT THE STATUTORY
% RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
% >> WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PROCEEDS,
% BUT MORE GLOBALLY, I'M
% UNDERSTANDING THAT MORE
% EMPLOYEES ARE KIND OF WANTING TO
% JOIN UNIONS, WANTING TO
% COLLECTIVELY BARGAIN.%WHAT A
RE THE CONDITIONS, THE
% WORK CONDITIONS THAT HAVE LED TO
% THAT?
% >> WELL, I THINK THE PANDEMIC
% HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
% A LOT OF EMPLOYERS STRUGGLED TO
% ADAPT TO THE NEW HEALTH AND
% SAFETY NEEDS OF THEIR WORKFORCES
% WITH THE RELATED WORKFORCE
% SHORTAGE THAT WE'RE NOW
% EXPERIENCING.
% MORE EMPLOYEES ARE BEING MADE TO
% DO THE WORK OF -- YOU KNOW, THE
% SAME AMOUNT OF WORK WITH FEWER
% PEOPLE, AND THAT MAKES IT HARDER
% TO NOT JUST KEEP A WORKPLACE
% SAFE, BUT TO MAINTAIN WORK-LIFE
% BALANCE AND AVOID EXCESSIVE
% OVERTIME, SO I THINK ALL OF
% THOSE THINGS ARE ADDING UP TO
% ADDITIONAL INTEREST IN UNIONS.
% THE YOUNGER WORKFORCE TENDS TO
% BE MORE INTERESTED IN UNIONS AND
% THERE'S A NEW POLL THAT THE
% APPROVAL OF UNIONS HAS REACHED
% THE HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE I THINK
% THE 1960s, SO I THINK ALL OF
% THAT IS COMING TOGETHER, AND THE
% LAST THING I'LL SAY ON THAT IS
% SIMPLY THAT ONCE SOME GROUPS
% STARTED HAVING SUCCESS, THAT
% INSPIRES OTHERS TO MOVE FORWARD.
% THE FIRST STARBUCKS, FOR
% EXAMPLE, THAT UNIONIZED THEN
% INSPIRED OTHERS TO FOLLOW THE
% SAME TRACK.%>> HOW RESPONSIV
E ARE EMPLOYERS
% BEING TO THAT?
% >> NOT VERY.
% AND THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN
% THE CASE IN THE UNITED STATES.
% YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN EMPLOYERS
% AT THE VERY LEAST EXPRESS THEIR
% OPINION, WHICH THEY'RE ALLOWED
% TO DO, THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE
% THE EMPLOYEES NEED A UNION.
% OTHERS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH
% WHAT ARE CALLED UNFAIR LABOR
% PRACTICES IN TERMS OF
% DISCRIMINATING AGAINST EMPLOYEES
% FOR WANTING A UNION OR
% RETALIATING AGAINST EMPLOYEES
% FOR WANTING A UNION, WHICH IS
% VERY COMMON.
% >> ALL RIGHT.
% PROFESSOR DON TAYLOR, THANKS
% VERY MUCH.%>> THANK YOU.
% >> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
% ISSUES FACING WISCONSIN, VISIT
% OUR WEBSITE AT PBSWISCONSIN.ORG,
% AND THEN CLICK ON THE NEWS TAB.
% THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT.
% I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
% HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
% ♪
% [MUSIC]
% >> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
% PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
% JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
% WISCONSIN.