Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate have voted to strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from public workers after discovering a way to bypass the chamber’s missing Democrats.
All 14 Senate Democrats left the state nearly three weeks ago, preventing the chamber from having enough members present to consider Gov. Scott Walker’s so-called “budget repair bill” — a proposal introduced to plug a $137 million budget shortfall.
The Senate requires a quorum to take up any measures that spend money.
But Republicans on Wednesday split from the legislation the proposal to curtail union rights, which spends no money, and a special conference committee of state lawmakers approved the bill a short time later.
The lone Democrat present on the conference committee, Rep. Tony Barca, shouted that the surprise meeting was a violation of the state’s open meetings law but Republicans voted over his objections. The Senate then convened within minutes and passed it without discussion or debate.
Spectators in the gallery screamed “You are cowards” and “Shame.”
About 200 protesters chanted “occupy” and “general strike” as they vowed to remain inside the Wisconsin Capitol after the vote by the state Senate Wednesday night.
The Senate hastily passed the bill 18-1 on Wednesday evening, setting off the latest protests. Protesters have gathered the past three weeks, often in the thousands, to protest the measure proposed by Walker.
Some protesters tried to gain access to the Senate gallery during the vote, but were denied access by Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs. Protest organizer Erika Wolfe told the crowd that legal options were being evaluated.
The Assembly will be in special session at 11 a.m. on Thursday to take up the conference committee bill, which includes taking away most collective bargaining rights from most state employees. That’s the last step before the bill can go to Walker for his signature.
The governor praised Republicans in the state Senate on their vote Wednesday night. Walker said the Democrats were offered repeated opportunities to come home, which they refused.
“In order to move the state forward, I applaud the Legislature’s action today to stand up to the status quo and take a step in the right direction to balance the budget and reform government,” Walker said in a statement.
The leader of Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate said his caucus will return to the state, but he won’t say when.
Senate Democratic leader Mark Miller of Monona said Democrats will “join the people of Wisconsin in taking back their government,” but he refused to say when.
“In thirty minutes, 18 state Senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin. Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten. Tonight, 18 Senate Republicans conspired to take government away from the people,” Miller said in a statement.
Before the sudden votes, Democratic Sen. Bob Jauch said if Republicans “chose to ram this bill through in this fashion, it will be to their political peril. They’re changing the rules. They will inflame a very frustrated public.”
(Source: WISC-TV / Channel 3000)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
Democrats laugh till your graves!
The goal of busting the teachers union should not be to save money, but to replace the ineffective compensation system with one that will energize the teachers. That will entail less job security, but more upside potential for the best teachers.
It mat actually cost more money.
The real winners should be future students, not the taxpayers.
However, there will be a greater willingness to pay taxes for a strong education system, as opposed for a jobs program. Vouchers which allow the religious to benefit will also increase willingness to pay taxes.
It should be noted that Federal employees, being the largest group of government employees, have an open shop (union membership is voluntary) and the unions can’t bargain over wages, pensions or benefits. This is probably the best model for the country.
The Democrats are counting that most voters favor giving public employee unions tremendous benefits that most people lack, but what they are forgetting that in most cases the average voters is more like a shareholder of a company than a fellow employee – but we’ll see next election.
I guess the liberals are the only ones allowed to ram bills thru legislative houses? Ah, turnabout is fair play!
Pardon me while I stand up and applaud!!
Just remember, the issue is with public sector unions and not private sector. Publi sector unions make money off the backs of US, the taxpayers.
The other thing to remember is that not all collective bargaining “rights” were stripped, just some especially where it comes to them having to contribute to their pension and healthcare, JUST LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE.