Wisconsin Cuts Bargaining for Public Workers

Three weeks of Senate stalemate in Wisconsin may have come to an end, after Republican senators voted to pass a controversial bill late last night. The bill, proposed by new Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, is supposed to address current budget issues by limiting public employee benefits, and collective bargaining rights, more specifically. While large anti-bill demonstrations have been a staple outside the state Capital building in Madison over the last month, now groups are protesting the voting measures in addition to the bill itself.

On Wednesday, March 10th, 19 Republican senators strategically trimmed the bill of fiscal policy measures that would render the 20-senator quorum necessary. The senators voted 18 to 1 to pass the bill, without any debate and without a single Democratic counterpart present. The 14 Democratic senators had fled to Illinois in hopes of blocking a vote by absence, and their plan proved unsuccessful. The passage of the bill and the tactics taken to vote on it may threaten the job security for the Republican senators and the governor himself, as recall petitions are being passed around by citizens.

According to The Washington Post, Gov. Walker applauded the Republican strategy, stating it allows leaders to "stand up to the status quo and take a step in the right direction to balance the budget and reform government." The bill that passed targets Unions by limiting bargaining to issues of wags and raises only, unless the public concedes in a referendum. In addition, it does not allow compulsory union dues form members, or let dues be taken from a worker's paycheck. Workers would also have to pay for more of their healthcare.

Walker cited the current economy as impetus for the bill, which was proposed as a fiscal initiative, but voted through without those measures. Walker states that the bill will help create jobs by freeing up money to fill gaps in the current budget, and keeping taxes from rising in his biennial budget proposal. A Rasmussen poll last week, however, reported that 57 percent of likely voters in the state disapprove Walker's sojourn in office so far.

To read more, visit the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/us/10wisconsin.html?pagewanted=2&hp&adxnnlx=1299765656-KoE6D5AyjZ%20BWim4IfIOBQ