Walker: Collective-bargaining law
Remember how Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin was insisting that his controversial law to end collective bargaining for most public employees was needed to help save money and balance the budget?
Well, he's now acknowledging that's not exactly true.
During testimony before the House Oversight and Government Affairs committee in Washington, Walker, a Republican, was badgered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) about how much money his law would actually save, reports the Capitol Times of Madison. The topic of the hearing, after all, was state and municipal debt, so Kucinich wondered how the collective bargaining law was relevant.
After some hemming and hawing by Walker, Kucinich asked flat out: "How much money does it save Gov. Walker? Just answer the question."
"It doesn't save any," Walker responded.
Last month, the effort by Walker and Wisconsin Republican legislators to pass the collective bargaining measure brought thousands of protesters to the state Capitol for weeks. The bill ultimately passed, but is on hold after Democrats challenged the procedure used for passing it.
Walker and Republicans have said that the law is needed to help reduce public-sector pensions and benefits that they see as lavish, and balance the budget. Democrats and unions have said they're willing to negotiate on those issues, and see the law as an effort to curb the political power of the labor movement.
And it looks Walker just bolstered their case.
original story here: Walker: Collective-bargaining law
(Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Capitol Hill, April 14, 2011.: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Remember how Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin was insisting that his controversial law to end collective bargaining for most public employees was needed to help save money and balance the budget?
Well, he's now acknowledging that's not exactly true.During testimony before the House Oversight and Government Affairs committee in Washington, Walker, a Republican, was badgered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) about how much money his law would actually save, reports the Capitol Times of Madison. The topic of the hearing, after all, was state and municipal debt, so Kucinich wondered how the collective bargaining law was relevant.
After some hemming and hawing by Walker, Kucinich asked flat out: "How much money does it save Gov. Walker? Just answer the question."
"It doesn't save any," Walker responded.
Last month, the effort by Walker and Wisconsin Republican legislators to pass the collective bargaining measure brought thousands of protesters to the state Capitol for weeks. The bill ultimately passed, but is on hold after Democrats challenged the procedure used for passing it.
Walker and Republicans have said that the law is needed to help reduce public-sector pensions and benefits that they see as lavish, and balance the budget. Democrats and unions have said they're willing to negotiate on those issues, and see the law as an effort to curb the political power of the labor movement.
And it looks Walker just bolstered their case.
original story here: Walker: Collective-bargaining law
(Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Capitol Hill, April 14, 2011.: J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
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