msnbc.com staff and news service reports
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MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin state Assembly intends to vote on Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to strip collective bargaining rights from nearly all state employees.
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald said Friday they intend to take up the bill sometime later in the day.
The Senate planned to debate it on Thursday, but all 14 Democrats staged a boycott delaying the action for at least a day. Several of them escaped to northern Illinois for several hours.
Democrats were present in the Assembly when it convened briefly.
What's at stake in Wisconsin
What bill would do1) Eliminate collective bargaining rights for most public workers. So while unions still could represent those workers, they would not be able to seek pay increases above those pegged to the Consumer Price Index unless approved by a public referendum.
2) Unions also could not force employees to pay dues and would have to hold annual votes to stay organized.
3) Local police, firefighters and state troopers would retain their collective bargaining rights.
4) Public workers would have to pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care coverage. That represents an average of 8 percent increase in state employees' share of pension and health care costs.
In exchange, public employees were promised no furloughs or layoffs. Gov. Scott Walker has threatened to lay off up to 6,000 state workers if the measure does not pass.
Estimated savings$30 million by July 1 and $300 million over the next two years to address a $3.6 billion budget shortfall.
BackgroundThe proposal marks a dramatic shift for Wisconsin, which in 1959 was the first to pass a comprehensive collective bargaining law for public employees and was the birthplace of the national union representing all non-federal public employees.
When voters last year elected Gov. Walker, an outspoken conservative, along with GOP majorities in both legislative chambers, it set the stage for a dramatic reversal of the state's labor history.
National significanceNew Republican governors and legislatures in other states have proposed cutting back on public employee costs to reduce budget shortfalls, but Wisconsin's move appears to be the earliest and most extensive.
Source: Associated Press and Reuters
