Wisconsin Senate and Assembly Vote To Eliminate Collective Bargaining: Reaction Swift and Passionate
Video from Sam Mayfield and Jacob Wheeler of The UpTake, text from Twin Cities Daily Planet
Live streaming video from The Uptake at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Wisconsin, where the Republicans abandoned the budget bill (which requires a quorum, as an appropriation bill), and passed a bill that only strips collective bargaining rights from public worker unions. Protesters streamed into the Capitol despite police attempts to keep them out. Chants call for a general strike and recall. The lower house still has to pass the law before it can become law. People inside the Capitol are refusing police orders to leave.
What’s next? There are as many questions as possibilities:
1) General strike? There’s a call for a general strike, but no real reading of how much support there would be. If there were a general strike, some workers would be fired. Walker has already said he will fire workers if the Democratic senators do not return.
2) Will the Democratic senators return? If they do, then the Republicans can also pass the budget bill, which still includes provisions for no-bid sales of up to 37 heating and cooling plants owned by the state.
3) What will the courts say? Democrats may sue to overturn the sudden Senate action.
4) Recall-Democrats are already gathering signatures to recall some of the Senate Republicans. Under Wisconsin law, recall elections can only be held after the elected official has served for a full year, so they’ll have to wait until next year to try to recall Governor Walker.
5) How long will protests continue? Protesters streamed to the Capitol as word of the vote spread, and quickly occupied it despite police efforts to keep the doors closed.
[Text from TC Daily Planet]