WisconsinRepublicans turned Walker said on CBS' "Morning to the state police Friday to Show" Friday. find and cajole Democratic "The people who are here, the lawmakers to return to the thousands of protesters, Capitol as the battle between union protesters … have a a cash-strapped government right to be heard, but the and an angry unionized millions and millions of workforce continued. taxpayers in the state have a Thousands of protesters were right to be heard as well," back to demonstrate at the he said. Capitol in Madison, and some Walker's proposal would not testified at committee apply to police, firefighters hearings in the Assembly, or state troopers. But it which could consider a bill would require all other state Friday that would end workers to pay half their collective bargaining for pension costs and 12.6% of public employees and force their healthcare coverage, those workers to pick up a shaving an estimated $330 share of rising health million off a $3.6-billion insurance and pension costs. deficit. It would also The state Senate was forced prevent public workers from to adjourn after all 14 receiving raises above the Democrats fled on Thursday. inflation rate unless the Democrats continued their increases were put to a vote. boycott on Friday, prompting Walker has promised that, Republicans to ask Gov. Scott should the measure pass, no Walker to send officers to public workers would be laid the home of Minority Leader off. On the flip side, he has Mark Miller to urge the noted that failure to pass lawmakers to come back to his measure could prompt work. thousands of layoffs. "It's outrageous," Majority But what is especially Leader Scott Fitzgerald said galling to many protesters is of the Democrats on Friday. the provision that would end "They shut down government." collective bargaining for Senators will remain on call public employees. Wisconsin over the weekend, Fitzgerald in 1959 was the first state said, in case a Democrat to give all public-sector decides to return and give workers collective-bargaining the Senate a quorum. rights, and most states have Fitzgerald derided the followed suit. Only 12 states boycott. "I think it's deny public workers the right embarrassing and ridiculous," to collective bargaining. he said. But as the recession worsened Most Democrats were out of and the recovery has remained the state, having crossed the tepid, states and other border to Illinois in a move municipalities have become reminiscent of other increasingly squeezed by legislative exoduses, such as rising healthcare costs and in 2003 when Democrats left pension benefits for their Texas for Oklahoma during a unionized workers. redistricting dispute. Though Politicians often cannot seek they were out of the state, tax increases to pay for Wisconsin Democrats were benefits more lucrative than hardly in hiding, taking to those enjoyed by voters. the airwaves to make their From California to New York, case. and especially in states like "It's rather interesting that New Jersey and Ohio, similar this Republican governor and calls for municipal frugality the Republican Legislature have been washing up against would resort to sending out union anger. Wisconsin was the state police to round up just the first state where it members, especially when we has led to legislative are trying to protest," state paralysis. Sen. Julie Lassa said in a Demonstrators continued their telephone interview with rally on Friday, and MSNBC. The lawmaker said she Republicans in the was not worried about the Legislature said they police finding the lawmakers, expected the protest to and repeated the Democrats' continue through Saturday. position that they were Among the speakers to the trying to slow down the protesters on Friday was Rev. legislative process to allow Jesse Jackson, who waded into time to study the governor's the crowd. Jackson's proposals. appearance appeared to Walker on Friday defended his invigorate the protesters, plan, designed to cut who clamored for handshakes benefits and clip the wings and pictures and burst into of the unions in what is "We Shall Overcome." generally regarded as a pro- "Collective bargaining has union state. made America great," Jackson "This is a bold political said to a momentarily hushed move, but it is a modest crowd. "We will not surrender. request of our employees," This land is our land."
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