After a 12 year fight to have labor history taught in Wisconsin schools, Governor Jim Doyle has signed Assembly Bill 172 into law assuring that students will learn labor history and collective bargaining.
"I'm happy to sign this bill so that Wisconsin students understand how important the labor movement was in creating some of the most basic workplace rights that Wisconsin families enjoy today," Governor Doyle said.
"Up until now, the key role that America's labor unions played in building our country was the greatest story never told in history textbooks," said Phil Neuenfeldt, Secretary Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. "This law corrects that glaring omission. Wisconsin youth will learn how generations before them organized unions to improve working conditions and fight for the common good."
"This is the first such legislation in the nation. It will help balance the overwhelming business bias found in textbooks," said Wisconsin State AFL-CIO President David Newby. "Thanks to the new requirements, young people will be better prepared to make the continuing improvements necessary in today's workplaces."
"Once again Wisconsin leads the way in progressive labor legislation," commented Steve Cupery, president of the Wisconsin Labor History Society. "As far as we can tell, Wisconsin is the first state to have enacted such a law. We expect others will follow our example."
Senator Dave Hansen of Green Bay and State Representative Andy Jorgenson of Fort Atkinson co-authored the bill. It passed both houses of the Legislature with most Democrats in support and a few Republicans.
To implement the new law, the Wisconsin Labor History society will assist all those involved in accessing the materials needed to develop the programs on labor history and collective bargaining.
WLHS has established a curriculum committee to work on providing additional materials to assist teachers and students to fulfill the purpose of the new law.
