Thousands descend on Capitol to protest Walker’s plansStory Discussion Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Thousands descend on Capitol to protest Walker’s plans
CLAY BARBOUR |
cbarbour@madison.com | 608-252-6129 madison.com | (4) Comments | Posted: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 1:00 pm
Thousands of protesters gather outside the State Capitol at midday Tuesday.
CLAY BARBOUR — State Journal
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The state Capitol was awash Tuesday in protests as thousands gathered to voice opposition to a bill by Gov. Scott Walker that would greatly weaken organized labor in Wisconsin.
More than 10,000 protesters crowded the southwest side of the Capitol building, many of them carrying signs and chanting “recall Walker.” Meanwhile, inside, thousands crowded the rotunda and watched TVs set up to broadcast the public hearing scheduled to discuss the governor’s proposal.
Unveiled Friday, Walker’s plan would remove collective bargaining rights for most of the 175,000 state and local employees, allowing workers to negotiate only over salary. Walker, however, exempted most law enforcement, firefighters and Wisconsin State Patrol troopers from the change.
On Tuesday, members of the fire fighters union received a loud ovation from the crowd outside the Capitol as they marched through holding signs that showed their solidarity with their fellow state and local employees.
“What’s good for one of us is good for all of us,” said Russell Griswold, a retired electrician from West Allis.
Griswold worked as a union electrician for 46 years. He has a nice retirement thanks to unions, he said. He came out Tuesday because he is afraid those who follow him will not enjoy the same benefits.
The governor has said the proposal is meant to help the state overcome a $137 million deficit in the current budget. If his proposal does not pass, Walker has said he would likely have to lay off about 1,500 people to make up for the shortfall.
“That would be more believable if he had ever bothered to meet with the unions to begin with,” said David Ahrens, a UW-Carbone researcher.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_de45ba12-3935-11e0-9b64-001cc4c002e0.html
