Speech delivered at the May Day Rally at Library Mall, University of Wisconsin–Madison, May 1, 2026. Event sponsored by Voces de la Frontera and many other union, community and student organizations including the South Central Federation of Labor.
What’s disgusting? Union Busting! What’s disgusting? Union Busting!
I’m Kai Rasmussen from Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement, and a proud descendant of Lithuanian, Irish and Japanese immigrants.
Thanks to both Voces de La Frontera and Worker Justice Wisconsin. Thank to the unions and labor federations, all union siblings who traveled to be here on International Workers Day.
My fellow workers, we are at a critical point in our history. The U.S. working class is in crisis. Capitalist state repression is here for us now, in full swing. This fascist federal administration has declared all-out war on us and our unions. Our social safety nets have been slashed. Our public works programs have been gutted. Every day there is a new, existential threat to our family’s livelihoods.
The billionaires and their white supremacist allies in the White House have empowered ICE to serve as their personal Gestapo — they are terrorizing and kidnapping our families, they are murdering people in the streets and in concentration camps. Most recently here in Wisconsin, they kidnapped the president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Brother Salah Sarsour.
My good friend Heba Mohammad once said, “our political prisoners are our moral compasses.” I could not agree more — a society that imprisons innocent people, including children, is one that has truly lost its way. Free Salah Sarsour and free everybody in the ICE concentration camps!
The ruling class is cunning and strategic. Their intent is to bust our unions, so they divide us by scapegoating immigrants and Trans people, and silence Palestinian voices. They kidnap children and separate families while they live large in military bases, mansions and bunkers. We are so busy, we don’t have time to question why our money keeps going to bombs, tanks, and guns instead of housing, healthcare and education.
We are sick of our taxpayer money being used to fund genocide in Palestine and Lebanon, and to bomb fishing boats in Latin America. We are sick of U.S. sanctions killing innocent people in Cuba, Venezuela, and Iran. I think Dr. King said it best in 1967: “The greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.” We have to STOP the U.S. war machine to save ourselves and save the planet.
So how will we fight?
In 2025, Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement supported five strikes:
- UAW 291 in Oshkosh
- The SEIU WI Nurses at Meriter Hospital
- UAW 95 in Janesville
- W&W Dairy Workers in Monroe
- Starbucks Workers United in Madison
In 2026, let’s go on the offensive. Let’s get out in the community, our libraries, labor halls, and places of worship. Let’s get out to a picket line, art build, or protest. And right now, let’s help the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association win their struggle: No cuts and pay our teachers what they deserve! Because when we fight — we win!
Our promise to workers around the globe is this: we will continue to fight — and we will bring our entire class with us. We are lifting everybody up and supporting their liberation struggles:
- Black and Brown folks
- Latine folks
- Asian Americans
- Immigrants
- Women
- Gay, gender-nonconforming and Trans people
- Disabled folks
- People of all faiths
- The Indigenous from Turtle Island to Palestine
The working class, poor and oppressed will lead the way with steadfast and popular support.
I want to leave you with this final reflection. Fifteen years ago, in 2011, I walked out of my public high school in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, just like many courageous students did here today. We walked out in protest of Scott Walker’s racist, anti-union “Act 10”, which decimated Wisconsin public sector unions.
Speaking of which, do you know who loves Act 10? Tom Tiffany, the right-wing gubernatorial candidate. And the only thing Tom Tiffany loves more than Act 10 is his best buddy, the notorious pedophile Donald J. Trump. Let’s keep him out of office!
That day, I participated in my first intentionally political act ever: I fought for my teachers who were in the Eau Claire Association of Educators. I fought for my father, who was an IAFF union firefighter. Now, fifteen years later, I stand here looking out at a resurgent, diverse and powerful Wisconsin labor movement that can and must defeat this cowardly, racist and union-busting federal administration.
Because when we fight — we win! When we fight — we win! When we fight — we win!
Join WIBOPM for their 15th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee on August 22, 2026. Show up to support Meriter Service & Support Workers on May 14 from 3–6 p.m. at Meriter Hospital for a support action to win a fair union contract.
Solidarity Forever!
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