Wisconsin Dems Flee State to Hold Off Vote on Workers Rights
By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 18, 2011 3:16PM
We're guessing Illinois corporations are taking a hard look at the nonsense happening in Wisconsin right now and thinking maybe an increase in the state income tax isn't so bad in comparison. Wisconsin state Democrats fled the state yesterday to hold off a vote on eliminating many collective bargaining rights for public workers, a vote that is nearly certain to pass.
While Wisconsin Dems are probably whooping it up in Rockford and Freeport, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Madison to voice their opposition to the bill and their support of the Democrats move. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said the legislation is necessary to help reduce a budget deficit he says is at $131 million (largely because of tax cuts he's signed off on in his first two months in office) and parroted the national GOP party line that unions need to share in the sacrifice. But public sector employees are actually paid less than private sector employees.