Monday, February 21, 2011

Kenosha City Council And Kenosha Police Association Oppose Governor Walker's Push To Eliminate State Workers Bargaining Rights

Photo: Labor Union News

Governor Walker and the Republican controlled legislature will lose $165 million in refinancing for the budget repair bill, if it fails to pass by next Friday.

By H. Nelson Goodson
February 21, 2011

Kenosha - On Monday night, the Kenosha City Council unanimously approved a resolution opposing the Republican controlled legislature and Governor Scott Walker's (R) budget repair bill, which would strip most state employees of their right to collectively bargain. Kenosha is the first city to publicly oppose the proposed Republican budget bill. The resolution is just symbolic and non binding, but sents a strong message from a former union base city to Governor Walker.
Walker on Monday reaffirmed that he will not negotiate the elimination of collective bargaining rights of more than 300,000 state workers. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) has also said, the "budget repair bill is not negotiable."
Last week, fourteen Senate Democrats left the state of Wisconsin and ended up in Illinois. The Senate session failed to reach quorum for a week. More than 200,000 pro-union protesters have gathered at the Madison Capitol during the last seven days.
Senate Democrats reported from Illinois that some moderate Senate Republicans are considering breaking away from party lines and at least three Republicans are needed to vote with Democrats in amending the budget repair bill.
Governor Walker has until Friday to get his budget bill approved so the state can refinance and restructure the fiscal budget. If Walker fails to get the bill approved, the state will lose about $165 million in refinancing and will cost more to repair Walker fiscal crisis.
Democrats have reaffirmed, that they will stay in Illinois until Walker is willing to renegotiate the budget bill. It could take weeks, before the Senate Democrats return to Wisconsin.
Also on Monday, the Kenosha Professional Police Association released the following press release denouncing Governor Scott Walker's provision in the budget repair bill that would eliminate collective bargaining by most state workers.
“We appreciate the fact that Governor Walker recognizes the unique work that law enforcement officers do. However, the KPPA is unable to stand by while legislation moves forward that undermines the rights of our brothers and sisters in other public employee unions,” Steve Lampada, president of the KPPA said in a statement today.
"We work with these public employees every day and cannot support a two-tier collective bargaining system that treats them so different than we are treated.
“We are all dedicated public servants. We each have unique duties and responsibilities and all are important to making our communities better places to live, work and raise our families.
“We therefore call on state legislators to reject the portions of the Budget Repair Bill that would permanently undermine the state’s collective bargaining law,” Lampada concluded.

Rachel Maddow of MSNBC point of view that Wisconsin is not bankrupt and Governor Walker wants to prevent Democrats from winning elections. Check out video link at: http://bit.ly/i1Kv3X

MSNBC reporting by Rachel Maddow on Madison protests (Feb. 16, 2011) video at http://bit.ly/gFE5z2

Related article: Recall For Republican Legislators And Governor Walker Brewing Over Eliminating Union Bargaining Rights For Public Workers http://bit.ly/i16MXz

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