http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41996994/ns/politics-more_politics/
<http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41996994/ns/politics-more_politics/>GOP rams anti-union bill through Wis. SenateEnd run around Democratic senators who left state to prevent passage NBC, msnbc.com and news services updated 3/9/2011 10:53:36 PM ET MADISON, Wis. — Republicans pushed a provision stripping public employees of their collective bargaining rights through the state Senate Wednesday evening after finding a way to bypass the chamber's missing Democrats. Republican senators separated the provision from Gov. Scott Walker's controversial budget bill, removing the requirement that 20 senators be present for a vote on the anti-union measure. The vote in the Senate was 18-1. Sen. Dale Schultz was the sole no vote. No Democrats were present. "You are cowards!" spectators in the Senate gallery screamed as lawmakers voted. Within hours, a crowd of a few hundred protesters inside the Capitol had grown to several thousand, more than had been in the building at any point during weeks of protests. "The whole world is watching!" they shouted as they pressed up against the heavily guarded entrance to the Senate chamber. All 14 Democrats had left the state for Illinois nearly three weeks ago to prevent passage of the overall budget bill, because it contained the anti-union measure. The Senate is split 19-14 with Republicans in the majority. Because the union provision was part of a budget bill, Republicans in the Senate needed at least 20 senators present for a quorum. *'An outrage' *By separating out the anti-union measure, Republicans did not need 20 senators to allow a vote on that piece. "In 30 minutes, 18 state senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin," Democratic Sen. Mark Miller said in a statement. "Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten." Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach told "The Rachel Maddow Show"<http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/> that the Democrats would not return to the state yet, fearing the action was a GOP trick. Other members, appearing on "The Ed Show," reiterated that position. Walker said in a statement: "The Senate Democrats have had three weeks to debate this bill and were offered repeated opportunities to come home, which they refused. In order to move the state forward, I applaud the Legislature's action today to stand up to the status quo and take a step in the right direction to balance the budget and reform government." Newsvine vote: Political price to pay in Wis.?<http://world-news.newsvine.com/_question/2011/03/09/6230572-do-you-think-wisconsin-republicans-will-pay-a-political-price-for-the-way-theyve-handled-collective-bargaining-rights-for-state-workers> Before the Senate floor vote, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald read the bill to a hastily created joint conference committee. The lone Democrat on the panel, Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, objected, saying the meeting was in violation of the state's open meetings law. But over Barca's strenuous objections, Fitzgerald went ahead with the vote, which was seen live on the WisconsinEye public affairs cable network <http://www.wiseye.org/>, and the measure was approved. Senate Democrats reportedly were meeting to decide how to respond. Some argue that Senate Republicans were violating legislative rules with the vote. Barca, the Assembly minority leader, said later that he would seek action by the state attorney general, a Republican. The measure approved Wednesday forbids most government workers from collectively bargaining for wage increases beyond the rate of inflation. It also requires public workers to pay more toward their pensions and double their health insurance contribution, a combination equivalent to an 8 percent pay cut for the average worker.The stand-alone measure now would have to be approved by the Assembly, the lower chamber. The Assembly was not in session Wednesday. Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder says the chamber would be in session at 11 a.m. Thursday. Police and firefighters are exempt. The battle over union rights has galvanized protesters in Wisconsin. Up to 70,000 people at a time have rallied in Madison against the measures, and protesters have occupied the Capitol Rotunda, prompting a legal battle over their right to do so. About 2,000 protesters remained in the building after police repeatedly announced the building was closed and they needed to leave. "The whole world is watching!" they shouted as they pressed up against the entrance to the Senate chamber, which was heavily guarded by state patrol officers. The drama unfolded less than four hours after Walker met with GOP senators in a closed-door meeting. He emerged from the meeting saying senators were "firm" in their support of the bill.Stripping out the collective-bargaining provisions into a "non-fiscal" bill raises questions about the governor's and the Republicans' argument that the issue of collective bargaining rights is crucial to the budget. For weeks, Democrats had offered concessions on issues other than the bargaining rights and they spent much of Wednesday again calling on Walker and Republicans to compromise. Fitzgerald said earlier that Republicans had been discussing concessions offered by Walker, including allowing public workers to bargain over their salaries without a wage limit. Several GOP senators facing recall efforts had also publicly called for a compromise. "The people of Wisconsin elected us to come to Madison and do a job," Fitzgerald said in a statement after the vote. "Just because the Senate Democrats won't do theirs, doesn't mean we won't do ours." Union leaders weren't happy with Walker's offer, and were furious at the Senate's move to push the measure forward with a quick vote. Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin state AFL-CIO, said after Wednesday's vote that Republicans exercised a "nuclear option." "Scott Walker and the Republicans' ideological war on the middle class and working families is now indisputable," Neuenfeldt said. The Associated Press, msnbc.com staff and NBC News' Mike Taibbi, John Yang, Mark Murray, Samira Puskar and Stephanie Himango contributed to this report. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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