Posted on 03/11/2011 8:46:36 PM PST by bigbob
Gov. Scott Walker today said he will not push for right to work legislation in Wisconsin, describing private unions and their employers as "partners" with the state in economic development.
But Walker, taking questions from reporters at a signing ceremony for his bill to eliminate most collective rights for state workers, stopped short of saying he would veto a right to work bill if legislators sent one to his desk. (Listen to the press conference here.)
"No," was his response to the question. "What I'm saying our private sector employers and the unions that work with them have by and large been our partners in moving forward an economic agenda that's going to put 250,000 people to work. I've worked with them before I was elected, I've worked with them since I've been elected and I will continue to work with them."
Walker said the measures taken to limit public sector union workers collective bargaining rights were done to help "get government under control."
"For us to be able to control and respond to the taxpayers, the middle class taxpayers in this state who for years have been the victim of more and more growing government, who have seen higher and higher taxes that have made it harder and harder for them to keep in their homes and keep in their businesses, we have to control our own budget," Walker said.
Walker said the bill will "get Wisconsin working again" and help private employers meet his goal of creating 250,000 jobs in four years by stabilizing the state government and stabilizing the state budget.
"In our measure today we help take the first step towards putting in place a government that is stable not for only the next few months but and not only for the next two years, but a government at the state and local level that will be stable for generations to come," Walker said.
Walker also talked about the national implications of the bill.
"Some have asked whether or not this is going to set a national precedent. I don't know. The answer remains in the states around the country," Walker said.
Walker likened the reforms in the bill to those Gov. Tommy Thompson made to welfare when Walker was a state legislator. Those reforms became a model for the country, he said.
"For us we're doing this to lead the way in our own state, to get Wisconsin working again. But if along the way we help lead a movement across the state to pass true fiscal reform, true budgetary reform, to ultimately inspire others across this country -- state by state and in our federal government -- inspire others to stand up and make the tough decisions so that they too make a commitment to the future so that our children in all states and across the country ultimately don't have to face the dire consequences we face because previous leaders have failed to stand up and lead, I think that's a good thing, and a thing we're willing to accept as part of our legacy."
Walker said the bill was sent over to La Follette after it was officially signed at 9:30 this morning.
Walker said in his experience bills are published by the SOS "routinely the next working day" and he asid he hopes "that tradition in state government will continue." La Follette told WisPolitics this morning that he would take the "standard" 10 days to publish the bill, but appeared to waver on that in a later interview.
He needs to reassure people going forward that this was a modest, reasonable solution to a serious problem, and show tangible, positive, "pocketbook" impact - like pulling back the layoff notices to 1500 state workers. Those are REAL jobs that were saved by passage of this bill - let raving loons like that idiot Peter Barca tell the people of Wisconsin he'd rather see those families suffer.
Like Rush often says, "conservatism works every time it's tried" - and we will now see positive change in Wisconsin as a result of Gov. Walkers courage and commitment to those principles.
Any school district that had many teachers missing during this fiasco, pull your kids out of them immediately and put them in a non radical school district, private school, or homeschool them.
We can’t leave our kids to the irresponsible union thugs to use against us. The teachers that don’t use our children in these matters should be congratulated.
Wow-—a reasonable and level-headed Governor and the leftists controlled by Union thugs made him out to be a heinous villain. Talk about shame? Shame on them for embracing their own liars and selfish crooks.
Yea, when the teachers return from their unwashed protests, their classrooms will be 25% lean. No excuses for bad performance. BTW, Catholic nuns could tame a 60 room class.
That’s what I meant - he’s smart enough not to go for the “bait” of right-to-work even though I’m sure personally he’d love to. But that would be raw meat for the libs who would be screaming “union buster!” and that would not help the cause. He broke the back of the collective bargaining deadweight on local and state government, and now that will relieve budget pressures, send a positive message to businesses and investors, and reduce the level of fear and doubt that has been holding businesses back from hiring.
Well done, Governor Walker.
The Left tried to cover all unions with blanket statements during this episode; the fact is that he fought a union that taxpayers contribute to involuntarily, which then used the taxpayer funds to lobby for even more taxpayer funds.
Very different than private sector unions, though the “media” did its best to conceal the difference; that slob Michael Moore worked with them to do that as well.
Leni
Free the slaves Walker!
Pass Right to Work anyways!
As was said earlier, conservativism works every time it’s tried.
The free market will control them.
Private unions don’t need the govt to reduce them. The market has been doing that for a few decades. Outside of the automakers, pipefitters, ironworkers, private unions have been steadily on the decline.
And why SHOULDN’T he??
If you ask me, unions are just havens for the lazy and dimwitted. They’re thieves, soaking employers and leaving the scraps for us non-Unionized little people.
They’re scum, fire them all.
So it's politically smart for him not to jump in and call for a Right-to-Work bill. Don't get me wrong, he hasn't said he doesn't support it, just saying that now's not the good time to bring it up.
Righto. And as the weight of supporting public unions is lifted and business investment starts up again, more and more private sector unions are going to undergo the same kind of attrition. The handwriting is on the wall, it’s a question of timing, and Walker has shown how to win the war, one battle at a time.
If you ask me, unions are just havens for the lazy and dimwitted.
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I have to take exception. My father was in a union. He had to be deathly ill to take a day off. He retired after 35 years service. Unions served their purpose before government passed laws to protect the working man.
Did you mean the scum that bully their way to be union dictators? There are many dedicated, hard working, patriotic people who get caught in the web of the lazy thugs because with no intentions for such. That being said I am adamately against mandatory union membership and dues for all public employees, this includes all so called public safety employees, police, firemen prison wardens, game wardens, etc. History shows the public would be better served with public votes on monies for these people than leaving it to bought administrators and compromised elective officials.
Did you mean the scum that bully their way to be union dictators? There are many dedicated, hard working, patriotic people who get caught in the web of the lazy thugs because with no intentions for such. That being said I am adamately against mandatory union membership and dues for all public employees, this includes all so called public safety employees, police, firemen prison wardens, game wardens, etc. History shows the public would be better served with public votes on monies for these people than leaving it to bought administrators and compromised elective officials.
Whatsa matter, can't raise a family on the scraps you are earning??? You think your wages will go up if you can eliminate all the unions???
Don't be so envious, start your own union drive...
Scott, unions are not people. They have no rights.
I don’t care for unions, period. But there is a HUGE difference between a private and public union. With the private union, those “giving” them the entitlements risk their businesses in the negotiation. This reins in such entitlements ... the “owners” know that if they give too much, they simply lose everything. Not so with public unions. They are “negotiating” with the politicians. These people have a “no risk” position because they are negotiating about money that is not theirs ... and if they are wrong, they simply shrug their shoulders and move on. A union should only be allowed to negotiate with the people who’s money they are using. For the private union, the corporation take the risk. For public unions, the TAXPAYERS take the risk ... and the taxpayers are NOT represented in these negotiations. (When was the last time your Senator sat down with the public union to “negotiate” a deal?). Unions should be allowed, but only if they are negotiating with the people who “have” (not control and dole out) the money. Who is a union “against”? They are against “management”. Who is “management” for a public union ... WE THE TAXPAYERS ARE MANAGEMENT ... these unions ARE AGAINST US! Outlaw them. Our politicians pick our pockets, line theirs and hand the rest off to the unions. This is no different that “buying a vote”. Which is illegal!
“Very different than private sector unions” indeed.....http://www.carolinajournal.com/opinions/display_story.html?id=7502
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