Showdown between Wisconsin governor and unions looming

[Count of Montesano]

Like a lot of American states, Wisconsin is facing big budget shortfalls. A big expense for Wisconsin (and many other states) is public worker's compensation and benefits such as pensions.

Goivernor Walker is taking a new approach by threatening to abolish labor's right to collectively bargain, essentially using executive power to end the union. Union leaders countermanded that they will go on a statewide strike if this happens, and that the strike could include police and corrections officers.

I'm essentially torn on this. On one hand, I understand that public employees need to make the same sacrifices that private sector employees have been enduring, which include pay freezes, layoffs, and healthcare increases. There also has to be a major overhaul of the pension system that allows some public employees to collect a retirement based on their highest pay grade for 20+ years.

However, I think government shouldn't bust unions. Some countries like Sweden and Germany have not felt the same massive problems with unemployment that the US has during the global recession, and I think that unions played a part in protecting worker's rights. At the current rate, I wouldn't be surprised if in 20-30 years if the American goverment repeals most worker protections as being "unnecessary" and deems the 8-hour workday a "luxury."

Here's an article on the whole showdown from my local paper:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...getunions.html

Hundreds of Wisconsin's public employees clogged a hearing for hours and camped out in the state Capitol overnight in a desperate attempt to delay action on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's plan to strip away most of their collective bargaining rights.

The Legislature's finance committee is preparing to vote on the measure, which would end collective bargaining for all state, county and local workers except for police, firefighters and the state patrol. The move marks the boldest step by a new Republican governor and Legislature to solve budget problems by confronting organized labor.

Opponents seized on the budget committee's public hearing on the bill on Tuesday to launch what Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, called a "citizen filibuster" that tied up the hearing for hours. A vote by the committee would set up final votes in the state Senate and Assembly as soon as Thursday.

Vos, the co-chair of the committee, finally ended the hearing at .m. Wednesday, 17 hours after it started. Democrats continued listening to workers who still wanted to speak into Wednesday morning. Republicans planned to reconvene Wednesday afternoon to vote on the measure.

Two floors below the hearing, dozens of University of Wisconsin-Madison teaching assistants and students surged into the Capitol rotunda late Tuesday evening, putting down sleeping bags and blankets. Many were still asleep on the floor when the hearing ended.

"I just think it's really crappy," said Alison Port, a 19-year-old freshman from Wauwatosa as she clutched her laptop and her Green Bay Packers blanket. "Let's take all the rights away. If he starts here, where's he going to stop? What else is he going to throw at us? It's only going to get more extreme."

Meanwhile, school officials in Madison announced Wednesday's classes were canceled because 40 percent of the 2,600 members in the teacher bargaining unit had called in sick.

The theatrics notwithstanding, legislative leaders have said Walker has enough support in both the Senate and Assembly to approve the measure, which the governor said is necessary to address a projected $3.6 billion budget deficit.

"We're broke and we don't want to lay off almost 20,000 people," said Senate President Mike Ellis, a Republican.

Union representatives were attempting to sway key moderates for a compromise but Democrats said the bill would be tough to stop. Democrats lost the governor's office and control of the Legislature in the November midterm elections, leaving them powerless.

"The Legislature has pushed these employees off the cliff but the Republicans have decided to jump with them," said Sen. Bob Jauch, one of 14 Democrats in the 33 member chamber.

New Republican governors and legislatures in other states have proposed cutting back on public employee costs to reduce budget shortfalls, but Wisconsin's move appears to be the earliest and most extensive.

Wisconsin was the first state to enact a comprehensive collective bargaining law in 1959. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the national union representing all non-federal public employees was founded in 1936 in Madison.

But the election of Walker, an outspoken conservative, last November and the GOP's seizing of control of both legislative chambers set the stage for a dramatic reversal of Wisconsin's strong labor history.

Walker's plan would make workers pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care premiums. State employees' costs would go up by an average of 8 percent. The changes would save the state $30 million by June 30 and $300 million over the next two years.

Unions could still represent workers, but could not seek pay increases above the Consumer Price Index unless approved by a public referendum. Unions also could not force employees to pay dues and would have to hold annual votes to stay organized. Local police, firefighters and state troopers would retain their collective bargaining rights.

In exchange for bearing more costs and losing leverage, public employees were promised no furloughs or layoffs. Walker has threatened to order layoffs of up to 6,000 state workers if the measure does not pass.

Wisconsin is one of about 30 states with collective bargaining laws covering state and local workers.

Walker has argued that the public employee concessions are modest considering what private sector workers have suffered during the recession.

But Democratic opponents and union leaders said Walker's real motive was to strike back at political opponents who have supported Democrats over the years.

"So many people are against this," UW-Madison senior Kylie Christianson said early Wednesday as she sat in the Capitol rotunda on her blanket, putting the finishing touches on a protest sign. "His job is to help us, not to hurt us."

The public employee bill is the latest measure that Walker has pushed through the GOP-controlled Legislature since taking office in January. He's also signed into law tax cuts for businesses that relocate to Wisconsin and those that create jobs as well as sweeping lawsuit reform. To achieve additional budget savings, he is seeking authority to make changes in the Medicaid program, sell state power plants and restructure existing debt to save about $165 million.

Governors in a number of other states, including Ohio, Indiana, Nevada and Tennessee, have called for forcing concessions from public employee unions but no similar measures have moved to final action.

[molonthegreat]

The reason Sweden haven't had such a large increase in unemployment is since it's already so high, the official figures is around eight percent and that's a quite narrow definition unemployment so the real figure is probably somewhere around ten to twelve percent and the unions and socialism have a lot to do with the high unemployment figures.

[Thorn777]

The reason Sweden haven't had such a large increase in unemployment is since it's already so high, the official figures is around eight percent and that's a quite narrow definition unemployment so the real figure is probably somewhere around ten to twelve percent and the unions and socialism have a lot to do with the high unemployment figures.

Even the neo-liberal party and the conservatives of Germany acknowledge that the labor-protection instruments like short-working, largely formed by unions, greatly added to the success of not loosing jobs during the crisis, but even helped creating another million due to the stability German society felt in the mids of a world full of insecurity.

Im riddled how you still are the staunch neo-liberal ideologist you show to be. Despite all recent revealvations....I really am riddled.

[molonthegreat]

Even the neo-liberal party and the conservatives of Germany acknowledge that the labor-protection instruments like short-working, largely formed by unions, greatly added to the success of not loosing jobs during the crisis, but even helped creating another million due to the stability German society felt in the mids of a world full of insecurity.

Im riddled how you still are the staunch neo-liberal ideologist you show to be. Despite all recent revealvations....I really am riddled.

If those parties are like the "conservatives" and "liberals" in Sweden I'm not surprised at all seeing how here they're social democrats lite and not very liberal at all. The Labour laws in Sweden especially L.A.S(You must fire the people most recently hired even though the newly hired may be much more productive.) clogs up the labour market with ineffective people.

Please elaborate on those revelations that magically makes the economy work differently.

[Thorn777]

If those parties are like the "conservatives" and "liberals" in Sweden I'm not surprised at all seeing how here they're social democrats lite and not very liberal at all. The Labour laws in Sweden especially L.A.S(You must fire the people most recently hired even though the newly hired may be much more productive.) clogs up the labour market with ineffective people.

Yes they are not "pure" enough. I heard that many times before on all kinds of political matters all over the globe. But anyway, you realize there is a trade-off in your scenario, like with almost any policy? Do you have any idea what trade-offs?

Please elaborate on those revelations that magically makes the economy work differently.

Actually its standard textbook-economics all over again. Its just that the neo-liberal ilk usually on the side-lines got a bit to much say the last 30 and now the smart enough are crawling back again, apart from the ill-informed or those ideologists claiming the religion wasn't acted out "pure" enough.

[molonthegreat]

Yes they are not "pure" enough. I heard that many times before on all kinds of political matters all over the globe. But anyway, you realize there is a trade-off in your scenario, like with almost any policy? Do you have any idea what trade-offs?

Well it's just annoying when people call certain parties liberal when those parties policies isn't very liberal at all. As for trade-offs I certainly have but I think that the trade-off would be worth it since less unemployment is much more beneficial than security on the job market, furthermore I think it's better to have the best people being kept and the least efficient being fired.

Actually its standard textbook-economics all over again. Its just that the neo-liberal ilk usually on the side-lines got a bit to much say the last 30 and now the smart enough are crawling back again, apart from the ill-informed or those ideologists claiming the religion wasn't acted out "pure" enough.

Well please reveal these basic textbook economics.

[Sphere]

I didn't take part in the protest because of school obligations but I support them. There is a general consensus that the budget needs to balanced and that cuts in state employee salaries and benefits need to be a part of that balancing. However the bill to correct the budget is being used for the political goal of breaking the state employee union for the simple sake of breaking the union. Indeed the focus of the protests are not about the cuts, but rather the union-breaking measures tagged on the bill. It is an utterly irresponsible thing to due and is making an already difficult process into a crisis.

And its not as if the the union is some massive political force that has weaseled out unfair compensation for state employee's. Independent anaylsis has estimated that in Wisconsin state employee's recieve 9% less compensation than comparable employees in the private sector. The University System also is being run on the cheap. Professor salaries at W Madison are the lowest in the Big Ten, even though the UW is arguably the top academic school in the Big Ten and the 2nd largest research University in the US. Also, state funding for the University has shrunk to about 8% of the overall UW-Madison revenue, and there have been rumblings for a few years now as to why should the state legislature have the same say in employment practices when they funded 50%+ of the UW budget, when now the state only provides a tiny fraction of the revenue.

My personal fear is that parts of UW-Madison, or maybe even the whole University might eventually have to break away from the state completely and become a private institution if it cannot compete with other institutions for employee compensation due to state law. That would be a sad day but in the end it might become unavoidable.

If the governor just wanted to balance the budget it could be done fairly easily, but he has an alternative agenda. Gov. Walker lost heavily in Madison and has no qualms in punishing the city. One of his first actions was to send back the federal funds for Madison's high speed rail project, and now he is trying to break the backs of state employees which are overwhelming concentrated in Madison. He has shown no signs that he is willing to touch farm and industry subsides in the rural parts of the state that carried the election for him. In short he is willing to put Wisconsin on a path that will eventually turn it into a North Dakota because it is politically advantageous for him.

Pics...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Sphere]

What also might get overlooked here is that for the past few years state workers have agreed to a series of compensation cuts which helped balance the budget. This is why this years proposed cuts can be rather modest as the Union had been very flexible under the previous Governor, and also why the union-busting measures added into the budget balancing bill by the new Governor are such a slap in the face.

[MathiasOfAthens]

If the governor just wanted to balance the budget it could be done fairly easily, but he has an alternative agenda. Gov. Walker lost heavily in Madison and has no qualms in punishing the city. One of his first actions was to send back the federal funds for Madison's high speed rail project, and now he is trying to break the backs of state employees which are overwhelming concentrated in Madison. He has shown no signs that he is willing to touch farm and industry subsides in the rural parts of the state that carried the election for him. In short he is willing to put Wisconsin on a path that will eventually turn it into a North Dakota because it is politically advantageous for him.

Wow thats really sad. What a dick.


Lets all hate on the unions now. Not like unions represent hardworking workers.

[C-Rob]

In Ohio a lot of people game the public pension system so I say bust it up as they see fit.

but Unions do more good than harm by a long shot. : (

[Sphere]

The protests continued today ...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Big War Bird]

I read today that over 400,000 Americans filed for unemployment this week. How many of them had been government employees?

And now we hear that demoncrat lawmakers have fled the state (illegally?) in order to prevent the state senate from having a quorum.

[MathiasOfAthens]

Your missing the reason why they left... the state is trying to strip the unions their right to bargain collectively.

Its not about cutting their benefits but stripping their rights to bargain collectively... face it conservatives hate fair labour practices and they hate unions. They hate it when workers can bargain with their employers.

[Big War Bird]

Axing government employees collective bargaining is a good thing. The damage these unions have done to states is immeasurable.

And their "sick day" strike is a violation of the law. These lawless thugs need to be brought down.

It is worth quoting none other than FDR to understand how predictably destructive public unions can be.

[a] strike of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to obstruct the operations of government until their demands are satisfied. Such action looking toward the paralysis of government by those who have sworn to support it is unthinkable and intolerable.

[Sphere]

The public employee unions in Wisconsin agreed to substantial cuts in salary and benefits over the past two years in order to keep the budget in balance. They did this without any strike or work stoppage of any kind.
The unions were again prepared to agree to cuts to help this balance this years budget. However the Governor tagged onto the budget bill the removal of workers collective bargaining rights for those public employee unions that did not endorse him during the election, while at the same time enacting tax breaks for certain business sectors and raising salaries for state politicians.

Its a slimy political move, and a slap in the face to the workers who more than anyone else have sacrificed to keep the state budget balanced. I was glad to see firefighters and police amongst the protestors even though they had been excluded from the union-busting measures, largely because the police and fire unions endorsed Walker during the election.

Its even more appalling that Walker is attacking workers who make on average $48,000, when in 2007 as a county executive he gave himself a $50,000 per year pay raise.

[Big War Bird]

Elections have consequences, somebody once said.

[Matthias]

Elections have consequences, somebody once said.

True enough. The consequences of voting in Republicans are quite clear.

Now, who said this?

“Workers have a right to organize into unions and to bargain collectively with their employers. And a strong, free labor movement is an invigorating and necessary part of our industrial society.”

“Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of their right to join the union of their choice.”

“Should any political party attempt to abolish Social Security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things, but their number is negligible and”–and the president says–”their number is negligible and they are stupid.”

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Republican President Eisenhower

[Sphere]

Elections have consequences, somebody once said.

I am not willing to be complacent with political corruption.

And as to the "immense damage" caused by public employee unions; Madison has a vibrant economy and 4.9% unemployment in no small part because we have a world class university, very good public schools and a excellent public services. I am sure we could become some wasteland North Dakota, with low taxes and minimal public services/education, but we have found something better and are not willing to give it up without a fight.

[Big War Bird]

I am not willing to be complacent with political corruption.

So its only corruption when the other side does it?

Madison has a vibrant economy and 4.9% unemployment in no small part because we have a world class university, very good public schools and a excellent public services. I am sure we could become some wasteland North Dakota, with low taxes and minimal public services/education, but we have found something better and are not willing to give it up.

Except that your state has a $3.9 billion deficit. So somebody has to pay up, some way, some how. And since I will wager that the rest of the state is not so rosy economically, isan't up to Madison to pay up? Isn't that what democrat polticians have been telling us for a couple generations - those with the ability to pay should pay more?

You are sounding positively republican with your 'I have mine, go get your own' schtick.

[MathiasOfAthens]

So its only corruption when the other side does it?

Thats not what he said mate.

Except that your state has a $3.9 billion deficit. So somebody has to pay up, some way, some how. And since I will wager that the rest of the state is not so rosy economically, isan't up to Madison to pay up? Isn't that what democrat polticians have been telling us for a couple generations - those with the ability to pay should pay more?

You are sounding positively republican with your 'I have mine, go get your own' schtick.

He can cut from the state subsidies or from his own paycheck. Hell he can raise taxes by just a little tiny bit but instead he decided to axe the rail line from Madison (paid for by the Fed) and then axe his political opponents benefits. Hes an .

Beck is an idiot.