Democratic lawmakers, union leaders and rank-and-file teachers and firefighters called on Gov. Scott Walker to back off his plan to eliminate most collective bargaining rights for government workers.
They argued the unions had already agreed to cuts in their health care and retirement benefits that could reduce take-home pay for many workers by about 8 percent, and it was time for the Republican governor to compromise.
The dispute in the Midwestern state is being watched across America because if Walker prevails in Wisconsin, other conservative Republican governors may try to go after powerful public employee unions as part of their budget-cutting policies.
Defeating the Wisconsin bill and others like it is crucial for public-sector unions, an important part of the Democratic Party base. President Barack Obama and other Democrats will need the strong support of unions in the 2012 elections — especially in key swing states like Wisconsin — to counter a huge influx of corporate funds allowed under a Supreme Court decision last year.
In a Sunday morning interview from Madison with Fox News, Walker said cities, school districts and counties will need to weaken unions to be able to cut spending for years to come. With all 14 Democratic senators still out of the state to delay passage of the bill, Walker said he would not compromise and predicted that Wisconsin would pave the way for other states to follow suit.
“We’re willing to take this as long as it takes because in the end we’re doing the right thing,” Walker said.
The sweeping measure led to massive protests that started Tuesday and have gained steam including an estimated 68,000 people who turned out Saturday. Most opposed the bill, but the day marked the first time that a significant contingent of Walker supporters showed up to counter-protest.
Sunday’s crowd was much smaller, as snow and freezing rain moved the protest inside the Capitol. Another large protest was expected Monday, when many state workers are being furloughed to save money.
A few dozen protesters spent the night inside the Capitol again Sunday, with many of them still huddled inside sleeping bags before 8 a.m. Monday morning. The walls of the normally immaculate Capitol were adorned with signs urging Walker to back down, but he’s shown no willingness to compromise.
The Wisconsin governor — elected in November’s Republican wave that also gave control of the state Assembly and Senate to Republicans — denied the bill was an attempt at “union busting.” He said the measure is needed to avoid layoffs of government workers and deal with the state’s projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall for the two-year period that ends June 30, 2013.
The bill would require government workers to contribute more to their health care and pension costs and limit collective bargaining to pay increases less than the Consumer Price Index unless approved in a local referendum.
Workers could not negotiate their benefits and working conditions. Unions could not force their workers to pay dues, and would face a vote every year to remain certified.
Nearly every major union leader — both public and private sector — has united behind an ambitious $30 million plan to stop anti-labor measures in Wisconsin and at least 10 other states.
With neither the Republican governor nor the Democratic lawmakers willing to back down, it might take Republicans in the Legislature who believe the governor is going too far to try to break the impasse. One idea that has been floated by Republican Sen. Dale Schultz would temporarily take away bargaining rights to get through the state’s next two-year budget, then immediately restore them.
It’s unclear whether that proposal would be acceptable to Schultz’s colleagues. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, a Republican, said he spoke with every member of his caucus over the weekend and they remained “rock solid” in their support for Walker’s plan, even if they had some internal disagreements earlier.
