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Dave Willoughby (left) and Emilie Steavpack protest at the state Capitol in Madison to support Gov. Scott Walker's bill that would strip most public workers of almost all their collective bargaining rights. (AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The leader of the state’s largest public employee union says the workers are willing to make financial concessions to Gov. Scott Walker but will not give up their collective bargaining rights.
Thousands of people have descended on the state Capitol this week to protest a Walker bill that would require public workers pay more toward pensions and health insurance. The measure also would strip them of almost all their collective bargaining rights.
Wisconsin State Employees Union executive director Marty Beil has issued a statement saying the fight isn’t about money — public workers don’t expect to get rich — but their right to collectively bargain. He promised the protests will continue until Walker sits down with the unions. Walker so far has shown no signs of backing down.
Not all states have collective bargaining.
The so-called “right” was granted by the State Legislature. What the Legislature giveth, the Legislature can taketh away.
For the unions and democrats this is not about jobs, it is about a revenue stream… check that, it’s more of a raging revenue river that requires people to contribute.