Go Unions!

There are two excellent things about Wisconsin labor unions throwing their weight behind the effort to defeat the state’s proposed same-sex marriage ban: 1) Their participation is a good reminder that it’s not only the LGBT community who is fighting these discriminatory tactics, nor would singly be at the mercy of them; and 2) Their expressed reason for participating brings the issue of all the benefits associated with marriage into the conversation.

The groups, representing employees ranging from teachers to prison workers, say they are worried the amendment will take away their ability to bargain for benefits such as health insurance for the domestic partners of gay and straight employees.

…AFSCME, which represents 44,000 public service and health-care workers in Wisconsin, became the latest to join the cause on Monday with a strong denunciation of the ban from its political arm and a vow to get its message out.

The unions are underscoring the main argument made by the ban's critics: that it is not about gay marriage, which is already illegal in Wisconsin, but that it threatens a range of legal protections for all unmarried couples. Others say those fears are overblown.

Brian Weeks, director of AFSCME's political arm, called the amendment "an attack on labor unions' collective bargaining rights." He said the group's locals representing public employees for the city of Madison and Dane County stand to lose benefits if the amendment passes.

"Backers of this ban are trying to break deals and take away rights and protections that working people have earned through good-faith negotiations," Weeks said.

Go get ’em.