UPDATE Wednesday August 31 08:25 am CDT - Republicans will be allowed in parade - if they have the guts to show up.
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/...
The Marathon County Labor Council has backed off from their decision to ban Republican legislators from marching in the parade.
The Wausau Daily Herald reports...
In an email statement issued shortly before midnight, Marathon County Labor Council President Randy Radtke said everyone will be permitted to march in the parade "because we don't want to have community groups and school bands affected."
"We didn't start this fight in Wisconsin, but were responding to anti-worker positions and policies supported by local Republican politicians, including those who have complained about not being invited," Radtke's statement read. "With the track records that Pam Galloway, Sean Duffy, Scott Walker, and Jerry Petrowski have all put together this year, they should be ashamed to even show their faces at a Labor Day parade."
The Labor Council had banned the Republicans because of their support for union-busting and anti-worker legislation in the Wisconsin legislature and the U.S. Congress.
I'm OK with the decision, personally. Either decision was a win for Radtke and the Council. They've made their point. Duffy, Galloway, and Petrowski are now in a tough spot. Do they show up after all the controversy and take the glares and jeers from the crowd, or do they simply chicken out?
For those who "pledged" to donate to help defray the costs if the Labor Council needed funds to sponsor the parade with no city support, thanks. I'm sure Mr. Radtke had many such offers from across the country. I support him, the Marathon County Labor Council and its members. They know what's best for their community and their local working families.
It would be great if a Kossack in the Wausau area could attend the parade and post some video or photos here. (hint, hint.)
End of UPDATE
As many of you know, The Marathon County Labor Council has barred certain Republicans from marching in this year's Wausau, Wisconsin Labor Day parade.
As the president of the Council, Randy Radtke said last week, it should not be a surprise that Republicans who spend 364 days a year undermining union rights have not been invited to spend Labor Day in the company of union workers.
The mayor of Wausau has now issued an ultimatum to the Labor Council, saying that if they don't allow Republicans to join the parade, the Council will have to reimburse the city of Wausau for set-up costs and traffic control.
It sounds like the total would be a couple thousand dollars, maybe three thousand at the most.
From the Wausau Daily Herald:
Freshman Republican Sean Duffy, who represents the 7th Congressional District, said “there are a lot of hurt feelings in Wisconsin,” but the parade should be a community event. Duffy’s office was informed last week that he wasn’t welcome to participate in the event.
“I’ve had a few union members in that council call and say ‘Listen, this is not us, we think we have to come together,’” Duffy said. “In this community and all over the state, people are sick of politics.”
On Monday, Radtke said delegates from about 30 local unions voted to bar Republican lawmakers from participating in the parade.
“It seems like all they ever want to do is bash us, and now they want to be in our parade,” he told a Daily Herald reporter. “I don’t think that’s right.”
I stay stand strong, Randy! Who's with me?
UPDATE: From requests in the comments, I have sent an email to Randy Radtke with an offer to help. I will update if he responds, either in this diary or a new one. Here is what I wrote:
Dear Mr. Radtke,
I have been reading about your Labor Day parade and your decision not to invite anti-labor politicians. I just want you to know that there a lot of us in Wisconsin who are behind you and support your decision 100%.
There are also a lot of people across America who stand with you and the Marathon County Labor Council. On my own blog, I already have tentative commitments from people totaling more than $650 dollars if you need any financial assistance to pay for the cost of the parade. If you would like to take us up on the offer, just send me a pay-pal link where we can donate.