Assembly speaker says union bill will pass

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says a bill taking away collective bargaining rights from public workers will pass the Assembly on Thursday.

Fitzgerald said he believes Republicans are doing what they said they would do on the campaign trail. He said when Republicans took control of the Legislature and the governor’s office voters wanted them to change the way government works.

Taking away collective bargaining rights was not a subject during the campaign, although Republicans frequently talked about cutting costs and making it easier for local governments to deal with reductions in state aid.

Tens of thousands of protesters have converged on the Capitol for three weeks to oppose the bill.

Fitzgerald said it’s a tough vote, but it’s the right thing because people “are sick of the status quo.”