State Senator Jon Erpenbach was just on WTDY in Madison breaking the news that the Republican senators may try to strip the collective bargaining language from the budget bill, attach it as an amendment to a non-monetary bill, and pass it with a voice vote. This might happen tomorrow - Tuesday. (edited...to clarify that the collective bargaining language is being considered as an amendment to another unrelated bill.)
.Updated by Giles Goat Boy at Mon Feb 21, 2011, 02:57:03 PM Apparently the Republican leader of the Senate has stated that there will not be a vote on collective bargaining without the Democrats. Then again, his brother, the leader of the Assembly, stated that the vote on the bill last Friday would happen at 5:00 p.m., then started the vote at 4:57 to try to get it through before a Democratic caucus meeting had adjourned.
The Senate needs 20 members present to vote on the budget bill, but only 17 for certain bills that are not related to finance (I believe that is correct, please update me in the comments if I have this wrong.)
I'm doing this quickly because I heard the interview on my way to work.
Madison schools out again, state workers have a collectively-bargained furlough day, so another huge crowd expected today.
Call the Republican senators and tell them to listen to the people of Wisconsin. Gotta run.
Solidarity.
P.S. My wife worked with Senator Erpenbach's wife at a school in Madison a number of years ago. That's Wisconsin.Updated by Giles Goat Boy at Mon Feb 21, 2011, 02:32:03 PM
I just cancelled my Nissan LEAF reservation as an example of something people can do to help this movement. Here is what I emailed to them after cancelling:
I just cancelled my reservation for a LEAF, and I want to tell you why. I live in Wisconsin. My wife is a teacher. You may have noticed we've been having some debates about worker rights lately. As much as I admire the concept behind the LEAF and the positive statement my owning one would make to others about our environment, I cannot in good conscience spend $30,000.00+ on a car built in a non-union factory in a state that is attempting to weaken worker rights even more. If you ever relocate the production to a union factory, I will take another look at the LEAF.