• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Walker says unions trying to sabotage government reforms

I am pulling for Walker just for the principle. He was elected by the people to do a job. He is doing what he said he would do. If you don't like what he does then vote against him when he comes up for re-election.

Stuff like this makes the left so childish.
 
While it's part of compensation, they were making no monetary contributions. It was mostly publicly funded, hence free to the employee.

Jeebus, is it sun spots or something? If it's part of their compensation it is not free.
 
Last edited:
I am pulling for Walker just for the principle. He was elected by the people to do a job. He is doing what he said he would do. If you don't like what he does then vote against him when he comes up for re-election.

Stuff like this makes the left so childish.

The only problem is that he never said he was going to yank the unions' bargaining rights. He somehow forgot to mention that major policy initiative throughout the whole campaign.
 
I am pulling for Walker just for the principle. He was elected by the people to do a job. He is doing what he said he would do. If you don't like what he does then vote against him when he comes up for re-election.

Stuff like this makes the left so childish.

Atta' boy!! Who loves ya', baby?

Welcome!
 
The only problem is that he never said he was going to yank the unions' bargaining rights. He somehow forgot to mention that major policy initiative throughout the whole campaign.


Walker's campaign adviser (prior to the election):

That's in part because of the close relationship between WEAC and a separate major insurer for school employees, WEA Trust, that the union created, said Ryan Murray, campaign policy adviser for Walker. He said school districts often have some of the most expensive health benefits in Wisconsin and could receive cheaper insurance through the state if they didn't have to negotiate with unions about who would insure their members.

"The way the proposal would work is we would take the choice out of the collective bargaining process," Murray said.

The union's response (prior to the election):
The state's powerful teachers union opposes Walker's plan and is signaling a fight over it if Walker is elected and moves the idea forward.

"Our members oppose taking away their rights to collective bargaining, so they would definitely raise their voices against it," Christina Brey, speaking for the Wisconsin Education Association Council, said of Walker's plan.
Barrett, Walker plans would add workers to health pool - JSOnline

The paper talking about proposals by the two candidates that will require legislation affecting collective bargaining (prior to the election):

Walker wants to make it easier for school districts and local governments to buy insurance through a state-run health benefits program. Barrett would require local governments to insure their workers through a similar program, and he is interested in having schools eventually do the same.

How much money the proposals would save is a question. But both would require legislation.

That's because current state law makes it difficult if not impossible to make any changes in health benefits without the approval of the unions that represent government workers.

Under state law, health benefits that are part of an employee's total compensation are subject to collective bargaining
.
Public workers' generous benefits come at a price - JSOnline

Did he campaign on exactly what he was going to do? no, like every politician I have ever known. But it was known that big collective bargaining changes were coming, they made mention of it ot the papers in interviews, the unions knew and campaigned against it.
 
Last edited:
If it's part of their compensation it is not free.

It's no longer part of their compensation and they will have to make contribtions. If it wasn't free before, it is definetly not free now.
 
Walker's campaign adviser (prior to the election)

Walker's campaign advisor, AFAIK, is not Walker. And he didn't say that Walker intended to eliminate collective bargaining altogether. His comment was restricted to health benefits.

But walker himself flat-out lied about it, and it's on tape. Here's the meat on the bone:

While there have been continuing efforts to show that Scott Walker never did reveal his plans for collective bargaining in the state during the campaign, definitive proof has now emerged via a video tape of Candidate Walker being interviewed by the editorial board of the Oshkosh Northwestern— just one week before the election.

The smoking gun video was recently unearthed by Judd Lounsbury, and published on his Uppity Wisconsin blog, and reveals that Scott Walker was singing quite a different tune before winning his gubernatorial race. While you can watch the entire video at the Uppity Wisconsin website—and I recommend you do so—here is the relevant dialogue which takes place at 7:50 into the conversation -


Editorial Board Member: Before, we were talking about state employees contributing to their plan, paying their share of the pension plan. Collective bargaining come into that?

Walker: Yep (nodding yes)

Editorial Board Member: How do you get that negotiated and accepted by the state employee unions?

Walker: You still have to negotiate it.
I did that at the county as well.

Walker went on to indicate that he was willing to work with the unions, pointing out that he had used furloughs as a bargaining tool when negotiating with unions as Milwaukee County Executive and that he would “approach a similar strategy for the state.” Walker further noted that he was open to compromise and that if the unions had ideas as to how to save money, he would be willing to explore what they might have to say.

Scott Walker Caught In Pre-Election Lie On Collective Bargaining Plans-Will Wisconsin Voters Care? - Forbes

Go ahead and try to spin that.
 
While it's part of compensation, they were making no monetary contributions. It was mostly publicly funded, hence free to the employee.

Can't speak for everyone, but I have always made a contribution. However, that doesn't matter one bit. Compensation is compensation. I don't contribute to my salary either. The company, hospital, school, all give compensation. This is in return for my employment. That makes it mind, and not theirs. They don't tell me how to spend my pay check. And as I said, the catholic hospital I worked for said this compensation is my pay check. As such, there is no requirement that I contribute.
 
Walker's campaign advisor, AFAIK, is not Walker. And he didn't say that Walker intended to eliminate collective bargaining altogether. His comment was restricted to health benefits.

But walker himself flat-out lied about it, and it's on tape. Here's the meat on the bone:

Don't really need to. Politicians lie all the time. They also change their mind dependingon circumstances - such as unions saying they absolutely would not negotiate about collective bargaining (prior to changing their mind). BFD.

However, his campaign indicated that collective bargaining was going to be changing and some items would be removed. The unions knew this and campaigned against it. It really wasn't a surprise to them, unless you really beleive the unions somehow forgot what they were saying and printing in their campaign related brochures attacking Walker.
 
That makes it mind, and not theirs.

They legally took it away. So it wasn't really theirs, was it? Now, assuming they want to continue to participate, will have to contribute.
 
Don't really need to. Politicians lie all the time. They also change their mind dependingon circumstances - such as unions saying they absolutely would not negotiate about collective bargaining (prior to changing their mind). BFD.

However, his campaign indicated that collective bargaining was going to be changing and some items would be removed. The unions knew this and campaigned against it. It really wasn't a surprise to them, unless you really beleive the unions somehow forgot what they were saying and printing in their campaign related brochures attacking Walker.

So your defense of Walker is, "politicians lie all the time"? :lol:

My work is done here.
 
They legally took it away. So it wasn't really theirs, was it? Now, assuming they want to continue to participate, will have to contribute.

Maybe, if negotiated that way. That is the nature of negotiation.
 
If Walker was an effective leader, he would do what is necessary. Instead, he is letting politics and his desire to retain his office get in the way.
 
So your defense of Walker is, "politicians lie all the time"? :lol:

My work is done here.

I never claimed politicans, and yes this includes Walker, don't lie and that was obviously not what we were discussing. I indicated that the Walker campaign clearly indicated that the unions would not be able to collectively bargain over certain things. Walker followed through with that. I also indicated that the unions were very aware of his intention to restrict collective bargaining, as they campaigned against him based on preserving their collective bargaining rights.
 
The only problem is that he never said he was going to yank the unions' bargaining rights. He somehow forgot to mention that major policy initiative throughout the whole campaign.

Oh, well, gee whiz. You mean he didn't tell you everything he was going to do? Oh my. Are you kidding me?
 
Jeebus, is it sun spots or something? If it's part of their compensation it is not free.

That darn kid working at McDonald's wants to get free money from me. My dollars keep that place running, and he just wants them handed to him! :mad:
 
Oh, well, gee whiz. You mean he didn't tell you everything he was going to do? Oh my. Are you kidding me?

If that were grounds for recall, I would assume democrats will be going after Obama and pretty much every other politican in the country next.
 
If that were grounds for recall, I would assume democrats will be going after Obama and pretty much every other politican in the country next.

The state allows the recall of Walker. Yes, I do wish there were also recall proceedings for presidents and congress outside the normal election cycle. That would definitely keep politicians more honest in what they say they will do, versus what they do.
 
The state allows the recall of Walker. Yes, I do wish there were also recall proceedings for presidents and congress outside the normal election cycle. That would definitely keep politicians more honest in what they say they will do, versus what they do.

The campaign indicatd they would be stripping collective bargaining rights and they did. This recall really isn't about doing something he didn't say, it's simply about a group acting out because they don't like the consequences of an election loss.
 
The campaign indicatd they would be stripping collective bargaining rights and they did. This recall really isn't about doing something he didn't say, it's simply about a group acting out because they don't like the consequences of an election loss.

Actually it's really about him doing something that's very unpopular, that was a major part of his plans, that was one of the very first things he did when elected, but that he neglected to mention -- and in fact that he said he WOULDN'T do -- during the campaign. It's clear that his action was politically motivated, since he only targetted the unions that opposed him, so he shouldn't have been surprised about the political blowback.
 
It's clear that his action was politically motivated, since he only targetted the unions that opposed him, so he shouldn't have been surprised about the political blowback.

I assume you bought into the "he didn't take away CB rights for police and firefighters because they supported him"? That's already been exposed as an untruth. But continue on.
 
I assume you bought into the "he didn't take away CB rights for police and firefighters because they supported him"? That's already been exposed as an untruth. But continue on.

You got a link?
 
Actually it's really about him doing something that's very unpopular, that was a major part of his plans, that was one of the very first things he did when elected, but that he neglected to mention -- and in fact that he said he WOULDN'T do -- during the campaign. It's clear that his action was politically motivated, since he only targetted the unions that opposed him, so he shouldn't have been surprised about the political blowback.

Thats not entirely true. The way Unions are framing the debate is proving unpopular but in general the reforms are doing some good for the state's budget woes and voters seem to slowly be coming around despite the negative campigning being done by unions.

It's Working in Walker's Wisconsin by Christian Schneider, City Journal Winter 2012 Note, Im not 100% on this source but here is a read for you.
And a few more :
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577170740792232880.html
Wisconsin is benefiting from Walker reforms - BizTimes
 
You got a link?

The police and FF unions that endorsed Walker were insignifcant - and as I recall only raised about $1,000.00 for his election. The major police and FF unions in teh state endorsed his opponent.

PolitiFact | Donna Brazile says that unions that supported Scott Walker are exempt from restrictions on collective bargaining

We then contacted the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the statewide union that endorsed Walker's opponent last year. Executive director Jim Palmer said the statewide organization is much larger than the local Milwaukee police union that endorsed Walker. The state group has approximately 11,000 members versus Milwaukee’s roughly 1,400, he said.

Similarly, the state firefighters association has more than 3,000, compared with the Milwaukee union’s 875.

The state police union is opposed to the changes Walker is proposing for other public sector workers, which include county jailers and police dispatchers, Palmer said. The statewide firefighters' union also opposes the proposal.

Palmer said he believes that Walker exempted police and firefighters not for political payback, but because they are the public workers who are most popular with the public. "And in that way, it’s very political," he said.

I agree with Palmer as to why they were exempted - BTW.

Brazile said, "The firefighters, the policemen and others who supported (Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker) in his election bid ... don't have to worry about their collective bargaining rights." It’s true that Walker won the endorsement of Milwaukee police and firefighter organizations, and they won’t lose collective bargaining rights if Walker’s proposal succeeds. But not all unions supported Walker. In fact, the two significant statewide organizations endorsed his opponent, and they too would be exempt from restrictions on collective bargaining. Because the statement leaves out the fact that the police and fire unions broke ranks on whether or not to support Walker, we rate this statement Half True.
 
Last edited:
Thats not entirely true. The way Unions are framing the debate is proving unpopular but in general the reforms are doing some good for the state's budget woes and voters seem to slowly be coming around despite the negative campigning being done by unions.

It's Working in Walker's Wisconsin by Christian Schneider, City Journal Winter 2012 Note, Im not 100% on this source but here is a read for you.
And a few more :
Review & Outlook: Big Labor's Wisconsin Vendetta - WSJ.com
Wisconsin is benefiting from Walker reforms - BizTimes

Yeah, Walker's doing a bang-up job:

Madison – According to an economic news release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin ranked dead last out of 50 states in terms of job creation for 2011. Governor Scott Walker appears to have done just the opposite of his campaign promise to create a job friendly climate in the Badger State. Instead of reaching goals to achieve 250,000 new jobs promise, he has sent the state into a job growth contraction.

Wisconsin Worst in the Nation for Job Creation 2011 | Wisconsin Politics
 
Back
Top Bottom