Walker Rapid Response Part 1: Government Taking Workers Rights

Walker Rhetoric: “The bill I put forward isn’t aimed at state workers. And it certainly isn’t a battle with unions. If it was, we would eliminated collective bargaining entirely.”

Reality: “Public employees were reeling Friday trying to figure out what to do after Gov. Scott Walker asked the Legislature to remove nearly all collective bargaining rights for teachers, prison guards and other government workers across Wisconsin.” [WISN-TV, 2/11/11]

Reality: “Wisconsin is poised to strip collective bargaining rights from most of the state’s 175,000 public employees in the boldest step by a new Republican governor and Legislature to solve budget problems by confronting organized labor.” [Associated Press, 2/15/11]

Reality: “If Walker gets his way, state workers will lose virtually all power to negotiate over compensation and the unions themselves will become far weaker.” [The New Republic, 2/22/11]