DID WHAT HAPPENED TEN YEARS AGO
IN WISCONSIN USHER IN AN ERA OF
EXTREME PARTISAN DIVIDE HERE AND
ACROSS THE NATION?
FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SCOTT
WALKER INTRODUCED HIS BUDGET
REPAIR BILL, ACT 10, IN 2011.
THE ACT CUT $800 MILLION IN
FUNDING FROM K-12 SCHOOLS AND
BACKFILLED THAT BY REQUIRING
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO PAY INTO
THEIR RETIREMENT AND HEALTH CARE
BENEFITS.
IT ALSO HOBBLED PUBLIC UNIONS
AND THEIR COFFERS.
WHAT WALKER CALLED A MODEST
CHANGE RESULTED IN A
HISTORY-MAKING STORM OF PROVE
TESTS AT THE CAPITOL.
WE SHARE THE REPORT WE PRODUCED
IN 2011.
[CHANTING AND SHOUTING]
>> SCOTT WALKER IS A GOOD
GOVERNOR.
HE'SDOING NOTHING MORE THAN HE
SAID HE WOULD DO.
>> THIS IS MAKING CHANGES IN
TERMS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
PROCESS.
>> AND IT ESSENTIALLY KILLED
IEWN YIEWNS FOR
UNIONS FOR TEACHERS AROUND THE
STATE.
>> THERE'S A COST TO EVERYTHING
AND WISCONSIN IS BROKE.
>> I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A
SHOCK TO ANYBODY.
>> SCOTT WALKER HAS GOT TO GO!
>> I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF THE
STATE ELECTED ME AND THE
LEGISLATURE TO BE BOLD AND
AGGRESSIVE.
[CHANTING AND SHOUTING]
>> THIS IS MAKING CHANGES IN
TERMS OF THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING PROCESS SO THAT WE
CAN ACCURATELY AND EFFECTIVELY
GET THE SORT OF MODEST CHANGES
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN IT
COMES TO HEALTH CARE AND PENSION
CONTRIBUTIONS.
>> IT'S ONE THING TO DO FISCAL
BUSINESS.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO DO
POLITICAL BUSINESS AND TAKE
PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AWAY.
>> WISCONSIN IS BROKE AND THAT'S
WHY I MADE THE TRIP DOWN HERE
FROM WAUSAU TODAY.
I'M -- I'M -- I'M CONCERNED.
I HAVE TWO LITTLE BOYS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR
FUTURES.
>> THESE MODEST CHANGES ARE
REASONABLE.
>> THIS IS NOT A MODEST
PROPOSAL.
THIS IS A RADICAL PROPOSAL.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PUTS --
IT UPENDS YEARS AND DECADES OF
LABOR RELATIONS.
>> THIS BILL IS ABOUT AN ASSAULT
ON WORKERS' RIGHTS AND IT
DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN.
>> SENATOR, WE HAVE NOTHING TO
GIVE.
THE STATE IS BROKE.
>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE
TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE NEED TO
BE HEARD AS WELL.
[CHANTING AND SHOUTING]
>> IT BECOMES OBVIOUSLY JUST
SORT OF A WAITING GAME.
IT'S A WAY TO PROTEST THE
PROCESS.
I TREMENDOUSLY DISAGREE WITH THE
PROCESS.
I DISAGREE WITH THE BILL.
>> WE FIND OURSELVES IN A
SITUATION WHERE NOW WE'RE ON
FINAL PASSAGE, AND WE'RE
WAITING.
I MEAN, WE'RE WAITING FOR ONE
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TO SHOW UP
FOR WORK.
>> WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET ON
THE CONCESSIONS THAT THE UNIONS
HAVE ALREADY DONE.
THIS IS STRICTLY UNION BUSTING.
THAT'S ALL IT IS.
>> NO, YOU CAN'T.
>> YOU CAN'T DENY WORKERS THEIR
RIGHTS.
>> YOU KNOW AND I KNOW T. YOU
CAN'T BALANCE THIS BUDGET ON THE
CONCESSIONS THAT THE UNIONS ARE
WILLING TO MAKE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S NOT A CHANCE F..
IF YOU DON'T MAKE CHANGES TO
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND ALLOW
THE FLEXIBILITY FOR MAYORS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE THEY WON'T
SURVIVE THE CUTS COMING IN THE
GOVERNOR'S BUDGET NEXT WEEK.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT
YOU TO DO.
>> WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO THE
FUTURE SO OUR CHILDREN DON'T
FACE EVEN MORE DIRE CONSEQUENCES
THAN WHAT WE FACE TODAY.
>> THE KIDS IN THIS STATE, THE
STUDENTS IN THE STATE DIDN'T
CREATE THIS MESS AND
UNFORTUNATELY LOOKS TO ME LIKE
THE BUDGET IS BEING BALANCED ON
THEIR BACKS.
>> YOU'RE TAKING A QUIZ, PLEASE,
QUIETLY.
>> WE CAN MANAGE THESE CUTS,
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THROUGH
THIS BY ASKING MORE FROM OUR
EMPLOYEES FOR BENEFITS THEY
RECEIVE AND WE CAN MANAGE THOSE
CUTS.
>> WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE
EVERYONE PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
>> THIS IS NOT ABOUT MONEY.
THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTION.
IT'S ABOUT SAFETY.
IT'S ABOUT WORKING CONDITIONS.
>> WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT AND
WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE VITALLY
CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THEIR
RIGHT TO A VOICE IN THE
WORKPLACE THAT HAS BEEN
ESTABLISHED HERE FOR 60 YEARS
DOESN'T DISAPPEAR IN FIVE DAYS.
>> CALL THE ROLL.
>> NO.
NO.
>> CALL THE ROLL.
>> GOVERNMENTAL BODY SHOULD
PROVIDE 24 HOURS NOTICE.
>> THERE ARE 18 AYES, ONE NO.
THE CONFERENCE REPORT IS
ADOPTED.
>> WE FEEL IT'S THE RIGHT THING
TO DO TO GET THIS STATE ON THE
RIGHT TRACK.
WE FEEL IT.
>> YOU ARE VOTING WITH A GIANT
STORM CLOUD ABOVE YOUR HEAD.
>> CHARADE IS UP.
>> VOTE AYE.
NOTE NO.
THE CLERK WILL OPEN THE ROLL.
[CHANTING AND SHOUTING]
>> WE WERE ELECTED TO MAKE TOUGH
DECISIONS LAST NOVEMBER TO
ENSURE THAT WE DIDN'T PASS THESE
TOUGH DECISIONS ONTO OUR
CHILDREN AND THE NEXT GENERATION
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE
DONE HERE TODAY.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
?
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
?
>> WE'RE JUST ASKING TO BE
TREATED FAIR.
THAT'S ALL.
[CHANTING AND SHOUTING]