Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker demanded a return to work by state Senate Democrats who fled the Capitol to avoid voting on a measure to limit collective bargaining rights for government unions.
“Hiding out in another state is not a way for democracy to operate,” Walker said in a televised press briefing in Madison.
“Come, offer amendments. Come, offer discussion,” said the Republican elected in November.
The 14 Democrats fled to Illinois to prevent the Senate from having enough members present to do business. US Senator Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat from Middleton, has said the senators may stay away for weeks, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
US states are facing deficits that may reach a combined US$125 billion in the next fiscal year, and Republican governors including Walker, Ohio’s John Kasich and New Jersey’s Chris Christie are trying to change rules for collective bargaining, and worker contributions for healthcare and pensions.
In Wisconsin, Republicans took control of both legislative chambers following November’s elections. Late yesterday, the Assembly adjourned until Feb. 22 after Democrats complained that there wasn’t time to consider their amendments to the bill, according to AP.
Police estimated that as many as 40,000 protesters were outside the Capitol, with 5,000 inside, for a fourth day of demonstrations. Union leaders said they planned to return this weekend and next week if necessary.
SIXTY-YEAR LEGACY
“We’ve had a right for 60 years to have a labor union, and this bill is going to take it away,” Michael Lipp, president of the 2,500--member union Madison Teachers, said in a telephone interview.
Walker has said the changes are needed to cut costs in the face of a budget deficit projected at US$137 million in the current fiscal year and US$3.6 billion in the next two years.
His bill would limit contract negotiations by public-employee unions to wages. It would require workers to pay 5.8 percent of their salaries for pension costs, up from nothing now, and double their healthcare premiums to 12 percent from 6 percent. Police and firefighters would be excluded under the proposal.
The governor said the bill would give state and local governments flexibility to control expenses.
TO AVOID CUTS
“In this bill, we’re giving them the tools to ensure that they don’t have to incur massive layoffs, and they don’t have to cut core programs at the state and school-district level,” Walker said at the press briefing.
In a Chicago interview, Erpenbach said that the true motive behind the bill is a consolidation of power, AP reported.
“I’m not calling him a dictator, but this is dictatorial almost,” Erpenbach said, referring to Walker. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a Draconian piece of legislation come down from any governor, Democrat or Republican.”
Between 35,000 and 40,000 protesters were outside the Capitol at the peak of the demonstrations, at about noon, said Joel DeSpain, a spokesman for the Madison Police Department. About 5,000 people were inside, said Carla Vigue, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Division of Capitol Police.
In New York, where 94 percent of the 196,000 state employees are unionized, a rally in Albany to show solidarity with Wisconsin workers attracted about 150 people.
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