Two powerful Wisconsin unions have been in a bit of a growling match since late March when the state’s largest police union and AFSCME found themselves publicly supporting two different Democrats to run against Scott Walker in the June recall election. While it has not formally endorsed yet, the police union has rushed to the defense of Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett after attacks by AFSCME. A number of public employee unions, including AFSCME rushed to endorse Dane county executive Kathleen Falk days before Barrett announced his candidacy. AFSCME sent out an email blast in advance of Barrett’s announcement slamming the mayor’s “labor record” in a widely criticized and blatantly deceptive video no longer available to view. According to Barrett himself, he got on the dark side of AFSCME when he forced unpopular concessions on Milwaukee employees in order to get the city budget in line. “I made some decisions that allowed us to retain the services that we have and retain the jobs that we have, and some people were unhappy with that.” Barrett has also refused to commit to veto of any state budget that does not restore full collective bargaining rights for Wisconsin public employees. In response to the attack video, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association came out swinging, warning AFSCME not to “sabotage” the Walker recall. “This recall election represents an historic opportunity for Wisconsinites to reclaim this state in favor of a leader who can create jobs, protect our local services, and restore the right to have a voice at the bargaining table,” said Jim Palmer, executive director of the WPPA. “For anyone to sink to the level of distorting the information it sends to its own members is shameful, and it creates the kind of internal discord that Scott Walker will need to keep his office.”
