Interpreters' Cooperative of Madison

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Interpreters’ Cooperative of Madison supports public sector workers

Madison, WI

The worker-members of the Interpreters’ Cooperative of Madison today declare their support for public sector workers and their right to collective bargaining.

Cooperative President Steve Herrick said, “Our work brings us into contact with public sector workers, which means we hear about their working conditions. The good parts are only there because of collective bargaining, and the bad parts can only be addressed through collective bargaining. This so-called ‘repair’ bill would deny workers a place at the table, which would turn back history by nearly a century.”

Treasurer Martin Alvarado continued, “Some of us in the Interpreters’ Co-op of Madison are public-sector workers ourselves, or have been in the past. We know that the public sector is where unions are strongest in Wisconsin. That means that Scott Walker is attacking the working class not where it is weak, but where it is strong. That makes this a threat to all working people and their families, and this is why we stand by public employees.”

Worker-owner Eva Schulte commented, “We interpreters frequently come into contact with public sector workers who are substantially underpaid, or even struggle to make ends meet. We aren’t going to solve our state’s problems by demanding sacrifices from those who are already sacrificing.”

Cooperatives are organized on the values of democracy, solidarity, openness and honesty. Their members work to embody these values, and to support anyone else doing so. As a worker-owned and operated business, our co-op believes that an injury to one is an injury to all, and Scott Walker is clearly trying to injure us all.

The Interpreters’ Cooperative of Madison encourages everyone to contact their legislator to strongly encourage them to oppose the “repair” bill.

For more information, contact Patrick Hickey at 608-255-0376, or visit http://interpreters.coop

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