Issue of the Week:

A Simple Way to Aid Domestic Violence Survivors

Oct. 15, 2008

midnight

The campaign to require paid sick days to all Milwaukee workers rightlyemphasizes the boost in health and productivity that will be providedto employees, employers, parents and anyone who encounters sickemployees in their workplace.

But the paid sick days referendumwhich will be on the city of Milwaukeeballot on Nov. 4also would allow survivors of domestic violence totake time off of work without fear of being fired or disciplined orlosing their wages. Domestic violence survivors can use these days offto get medical treatment, access the law enforcement and court systems,find new shelter and help their children. An estimated 8,500 cityresidents were victims of domestic abuse in 2006. Not allowing them thetime they need to cope with their basic physical, emotional and healthneeds is nothing short of inhumane.

On Nov. 4, Milwaukeevoters can choose to help working men and women maintain steadyemployment and provide stable homes for their children. The solution issimple: Provide earned sick leave to employees so they can take timeoff when they’re sick or suffering from abuse at home.

Hero of the Week: Jeannetta Robinson

Thecommunity lost a tireless advocate for the underprivileged this weekwith the passing of Jeannetta Robinson, founder and executive directorof Career Youth Development, which provides educational and socialservice programs to the inner city. The Milwaukee County Board ofSupervisors’ Black Caucus said of Robinson, the “community will neverforget the helping hand she lent to one and all. The vision shared byJeannetta and her mother, Claretta Simpson, led to the building of anorganization that is vital to giving hope to those who have nowhereelse to turn. She was a great soldier and had the ability to take careof those who need the help most. This vision is a true inspiration toall of us. While we will never fully replace this loss to thecommunity, Jeannetta’s legacy will live on through the thousands oflives impacted during her stay with us.”

Jerk of the Week: Steve Baas

SteveBaas, former aide to Assembly Republican and convicted felon ScottJensen, currently scampers about town as a big-business lobbyistscreeching warnings about the paid sick days referendum on November’sballot, arguing unconvincingly that businesses would migrate en masseout of the city rather than provide modest sick leave to their valuedemployees. In an amusing bit of tortured logic, Baas told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thatnot having sick days is “better than not having a job. They won’t haveto worry about sick leave if they don’t have a job to take it from.”Curiously, Baas himself accumulated 150 sick days while working for thestate, and used one-third of them, according to public records obtainedby One WisconsinNow (OWN). OWN Executive Director Scot Ross says that if Baas “is soopposed to paid sick days for Milwaukee workers, he should return the51 days of sick pay the taxpayers footed for him.”

Blog of the Week: Kay’s Blue Racine

http://blueracine.blogspot.com/

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Whatdid John McCain do [in response to the economic crisis]? He laid outsome new attacks on Barack Obama. The distinction could not be clearer:One guy is fighting for you and the other guy is fighting mad.”Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: Seminary Woods, by Matthew Sliker

"While driving down Lake Drive the other day, I spotted two deer posing for the perfect fall picture!"

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