Assembly sends Wisconsin's right-to-work bill to Scott Walker
".............In all, five Republicans in the Legislature, one in the Senate and four in the Assembly, voted against Act 10 in 2011. This year, only one Republican in the Senate — former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers member Sen. Jerry Petrowski of Marathon — and no one in the Assembly voted against the right-to-work bill, which in 2011 at least was considered the more controversial of the two measures because it deals with private-sector rather than public-sector unions.
In an effort that recalled their unsuccessful 61-hour stand against Act 10, Democrats in the house ignored certain defeat and argued overnight against a measure they call an attack on workers.
"Nobody is forced to join a union," state Rep. Cory Mason (D-Racine) said after the bill passed. "I would have gone on for another 24 hours if it would have made a difference."
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) added, "We're talking about 70 years of labor peace. We wanted to give it every ounce of energy we did."
But Republicans insisted the bill was about freedom for workers and would help businesses in the state.
"We're fighting for every worker in the state to have their own personal liberty," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said. "Worker freedom. Individual choice. Getting to make your own way in life.".....
Gwen Moore: Walker continues assault on working-class Wisconsin
"...In the ongoing assault on Wisconsin’s working class, Gov. Scott Walker signed another crippling anti-worker bill into law.
This so-called "right to work" legislation is nothing but a bald-faced attempt by our Republican governor and Legislature to protect special interests at the expense of working class families. I am reminded of Dr. Martin Luther King, who once said, "In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as ‘right to work.’ It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and job rights.".....