Sixteen Wisconsin state senators - 14 of them Democrats - did not appear at the capitol on Thursday for a scheduled vote on a bill that would strip some public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights and increase their contributions for benefits, according to Senate Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald and Wisconsin Democratic Party spokesperson Graeme Zielinski.
The bill cleared the Joint Finance Committee Wednesday night on a 12-4 vote and was intended to move onto the state Senate Thursday for a vote, but the absence of so many senators left that vote schedule in question.
It is not clear where the absent lawmakers are.
One of the missing legislators, Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, declined to say whether the missing group left the state, but said "we are located away from the state capitol in a secure place."
Explaining why he was staying away, Miller said: "It's the governor's job to be a leader of a state and to engage the interested parties in any kind of dramatic legislation. He failed to do that. He failed to ever contact any of the interested parties to work with our party. He's ramming this through in such a short time. It's the governor who failed to do his job."
"This was being fast-tracked. And we said, 'This is too fast.' Citizens won't stand for it. We're going to make sure that this bill has an opportunity for people to understand what's in it," Miller said.
About 10,000 people rallied against the proposal at the capitol on Wednesday, and many teachers protesting the bill called in sick on Thursday.
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I should have said "absolute assault" but I absolutely meant it. Governor Walker is Mubarek with a paler complexion.
Just a not, the average teacher salary in Wisconsin is $46,390. Then take into account that benefits average 35% of spending on education and you get $62,626. Then factor in the fact that teahcers work 180 day a year where most other people work 250. You get teahcers pro-rated pay at $86,000. This is about par for the course nationally. The average income of a college graduate nationally is about 65k including benefits. The only difference is that teachers are not held to any standard and thier product recently has been subpar. In any other industry, if your company does not perform you no longer have a job. That's my $.02– feel free to flame me now.
you should also incorporate that they work 60-70 hours a week into that figure... and most teachers including all the ones that I know pump in another 1,000 dollars a year out of their pocket into their classrooms... clearly you know no teachers.
<3 your $.02
LOL
BUCK
I know a lot of teachers and not a single one works 50 hours, let alone the 70 you're claiming
I don't understand why anyone takes the side of teachers in these discussions, teachers are a laughingstock, our comparative primary and secondary education systems continue to deteriorate and teachers continue to want more benefits for less work. They work 180 days/year in NY, I don't know about any other states, but until our abilities in core subjects increase dramatically when compared with other countries, teachers should be forced to work more for less
52 weeks a year = 104 weekend days, meaning those teachers in NY get the equivalent of 81 vacation days a year...until that is more on par with common working people, the teachers union shouldn't have a voice, period
Right on there Fredo....
Teachers I know also pay for students supplies, sometimes clothes, and stay way beyond their required hours to help children, aka the future, with their assignments
That is a little extreme. I am not comparing us to hair dressers but I think it will work as an analogy. If an ugly girl gets her hair cut and still looks ugly by societies standard, is that the hair dressers fault even if the looks improved a little. As teachers we sometimes are faced with students who can not even read or speak the English language and we are expected to teach these students how to solve logarithmic equations or determine important information from a word problem to create an equation to solve. So even when we make big improvements in the skills and knowledge of a child we may still be labels as failures because they can not do rocket science. The failings of our schools are seriously over embellished. Comparing us to other countries does not give a good look at how well we are doing.
I live in Wausau Wisconsin and they announced no school for tommorrow for the kids cause the teachers here called in plus Mosinee, wisconsin and more to come. This is one big mess.
Wisconsin's measure would end collective bargaining for state, county and local workers, except for police, firefighters and the state patrol. Unions still could represent workers, but could not seek pay increases above those pegged to the Consumer Price Index unless approved by a public referendum. Unions also could not force employees to pay dues and would have to hold annual votes to stay organized
That is not taking away a voice. It is actually allowing the citizens (the bosses of public servants) to determine if union workers may have a raise. I think it is great to not force employees to pay dues. That is extortion.
Why are police and firefighters unions excluded? Because they donated to Walkers campaign...that's part of my problem with this bill, and I do not work for a union.
This is so clearly an issue of punishing the unions that didn't support him, while protecting the unions that did, that I cannot objectively look at this bill as anything but paying up for the votes Walker bought, and sending a political extortion message to others.
I agree. I can stand how this information has been left out of the press. My only concern is how we can negotiate terms of the contract. I am not talking about the money issues I am talking about how other Public servants such as principals and other administrators are able to treat us. If we can still negotiate those terms I would support this in PA.
Not quite. He excluded those unions to try to avoid this situation. Divide and conquer. It didn't work and now he's been exposed for what he is. Large company schill who wants to break unions so they can get in minimum wage workers. Would you trust someone making minimum wage to protect you from crime, fire, treat you in a hospital, or educate kids? I sure as hell don't.
Just answer the question! Why not go after all unions? This is an example of the power of money, give to my treasure chest and I leave you alone. What a wonderful governor.
What did the think would happen when they vote Republican?
@ Steven ~ That is EXACTLY what our Democratic leaders are doing right now ~ Serving the Wisconsin people.
YES ~ I am and EXTREMELY proud "Liberal" right now. This is a Democracy – NOT a Dictatorship. The Democrats are ensuring that.
Just as PROUD!
Traci- you are part of the problem. You are proud of the signs comparing Walker to Hitler? You really think so? You are a stupid silly bytch.
Ask why the police and firefighters unions are exempted from the new proposed rules for union negotiations. Then look at how much money those unions donated to the Walker campaign. It's not about doing the right thing....it's about increasing Walker's own power while protecting his cronies. I am not anti-police or firefighters, but I would assume that if these rules were the right thing, they would apply to all the unions?
Obstructionists Party of "Nowhere To Be Found."
You know it!
I say give all teachers $1 million/year. No pension, no health care, no benefits whatsoever.
If anything happens, like being late for work, even 1 second, they're fired immediately. No arbitration, no excuses. If they get a speeding ticket, fired. If they spout off for any reason, fired. If they walk off the job, fired. If they are late on their credit card payment, fired.
Why jut teachers? Let's provide the same monetary benefit for everyone, ncluding the current rich!
Thank you "Wisconsinites" for standing up and being heard. Your actions are meaningful and truthful. The GOP/Tea Party is clearly responsible for taking your rights as Americans away from you and you are making your voices heard around the world. From across the country, we are listening and learning from your example. You have support beyond your state borders. We are reading to stand up as well. GOP Governors, be mindful of the events in Wisconsin. And yes, we are ready to stand firm as well.
lol are you a teacher chris? Are you threatening to close public schools? that would be your own undoing...shameful how teachers are acting
Not a teacher, just a small business owner.
What is really shameful is that someone actually voted for this guy and that people actually believe the BS he is spewing. Shame on you for not standing up for your fellow Americans.
- this is nothing new – when Abe Lincholn was a state senator , his party voted to adjurn rather than vote for a bill they hated, lost the motion to adjurn. Abe and party climbed out of the state house windows to reduce the number of sitting members below the number necessary to have a quarum – - – - Unfortunately for Abe's party, the vote to adjurn was done with the necessary quarum and recorded as such, therefor the motion that Abe's party hated was voted on and passed with Abe listed as present – not voting
These pathetic cowards should be jailed. The fact that these clowns and the union goons are trying to upsurp voters is pathetic.
Liberals are parasites and the unions are organized parasites.
Throw them all in jail!
Passing a law that takes away the right to bargin will have zero effect on the budget deficit. Such a law is most likely in violation of Federal Labor Laws. These unions are willing to negtioate pay, health, and pension benfits in order to help close the budget gap. These public service workers did not cause this problem. Greed by wall street bankers did. Ask them to help to close the gap.
If by negotiate you mean get more every time they are at the table, then yes you are correct.