According to Reuters ...
Democrats flee Wisconsin to protest union curbs
By Jeff Mayers
MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) -- Feb 17, 2011
Wisconsin state Senate Democrats fled the state on Thursday to protest a Republican plan to sharply curtail union rights for public employees, and President Barack Obama weighed in on their side.
[...]
Speaking about the issue Thursday in a television interview, President Barack Obama said that while he understands state governments' need to make cuts, the Wisconsin proposal seems like "an assault on unions."
"Some of what I've heard coming out of Wisconsin, where you're just making it harder for public employees to collectively bargain generally, seems like more of an assault on unions," Obama said.
I have to give credit, where credit is due
-- President Obama is taking a stand on the side of the Unions and Protesters in Wisconsin.
Way to go, Mr President, sir!
Here's a bit more Fact-checking worthy of review, by the State of Wisconsin's equivalent to the CBO -- the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. They seem to be saying Gov Walker, has other motives than Fiscal Accountability, as he targets Union Workers for Wage and Benefit cuts.
Walker gins up ‘crisis’ to reward cronies
Cap Times editorial madison.com -- Feb 16, 2011
In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state’s budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million.
To the extent that there is an imbalance -- Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit -- it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. If the Legislature were simply to rescind Walker’s new spending schemes -- or delay their implementation until they are offset by fresh revenues -- the “crisis” would not exist.
[...]
To achieve that end, [Walker] has proposed a $137 million budget “repair” bill that he intends to use as a vehicle to:
1. Undermine the long-established collective bargaining rights of public employee unions, [...]
2. Pay for schemes that redirect state tax dollars to wealthy individuals and corporate interests that have been sources of campaign funding for Walker’s fellow Republicans and special-interest campaigns on their behalf.
[...]
The Fiscal Bureau memo -- which readers can access at legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/2011_01_31Vos&Darling.pdf -- makes it clear that Walker did not inherit a budget that required a repair bill.
The facts are not debatable.
Aren't Facts a wonderful thing? We really DO need more of those, these days.
Walker gives away millions in Tax Cuts for the Wealthy; and he expects public workers to make the "shared sacrifice" to finance his giveaways? Incredible.
Here are a few more Facts, explained by Wisconsin's state workers Union representation.
About the 10%+ Wage cuts.
About the direct attacks on Unions, written into Walker's Budget-fixing Bill:
Union leaders, Democrats ready for a fight with Gov. Walker on budget
Jeff Bollier, thenorthwestern.com -- Feb. 11, 2011
State employee union leaders and Democrats are prepared to fight Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to dramatically reshape collective bargaining between unions and cities, counties, school districts and the state.
Walker has proposed to require all state and local government employees, including himself, to pay 12.6 percent of health insurance premiums and 5.8 percent of their salary to the Wisconsin Retirement System pension program. He said the changes will save the state $30 million between April and June and $300 million over the next two-year budget, which begins in July. Walker said the changes would save him from having to lay off 6,000 employees. Also, unions could only negotiate salary raises and those could be no larger than the Consumer Price Index increase without a public referendum.
[...]
Joe Wineke, the chief labor negotiator, [...] said the average state employee makes $42,000 and would have their salaries cut by more than $4,000 to cover health insurance premiums and pension contributions. But just as concerning, Wineke said, are rule changes that threaten to weaken unions such as:
-- Restricting union contracts to no more than one year in duration.
-- Requiring unions to re-certify themselves as a bargaining unit each year.
-- Prohibiting municipalities, schools and the state from deducting union dues from paychecks. And
-- Revoking the right of family child care, home health care workers under Medicaid, University of Wisconsin professors and academic staff and University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics staff to collectively bargain.
Local 579 President Paulette Feld said those changes will make it harder for unions to maintain funding and membership.
"We'll be back to where we were 30 years ago [...]
SO those are the Stakes. Those are the Facts.
Will anymore Democrats, step up and take a stand with Labor?
Will anymore Democrats, take a stand for hard working productive Americans?
-- the very People WHO make this Country go!
Let's hope so.
Post em if you got em. More Dem Statements of support for the Workers.
Thanks.