Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker is now taking aim at private sector employees only months after his unprecedented move to eliminate collective bargaining rights for most state public employees.
Gov. Walker signed into law a piece of legislation easily passed by the GOP-controlled state legislature that removes the voter-approved right of local communities in the state to enact laws mandating employers to grant employees paid sick leave.
Though seemingly broad, the bill is aimed at a specific law in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin that was overwhelmingly approved by county voters in 2008 and would have forced businesses to provide paid sick leave to their workers under strict circumstances.
Having passed the legislature, Gov. Walker was urged to sign the legislation into law by a host of corporate interests. Walker did so on Thursday, denouncing what he called “patchwork government mandates” and claiming that banning local sick leave laws will “remove(s) another barrier in the road” to “creating…jobs.”
Gov. Scott Walker signed into law Thursday a measure that voids Milwaukee’s paid sick leave ordinance that was passed by voters in a referendum and upheld recently by the state Court of Appeals.
Walker, in Milwaukee on Thursday for the annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast at the Italian Community Center, went to offices of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce offices to sign Senate Bill 23. The bill will pre-empt local ordinances from requiring businesses to provide paid sick leave to employees for family, medical or health issues.
“This law removes another barrier in the road to creating 250,000 private sector jobs by 2015,” Walker said. “Patchwork government mandates stifle job creation and economic opportunity. This law gives employers the flexibility they need to put people back to work and that makes Wisconsin a more attractive place to do business.”
Being that it involves no government spending and targets only the right of local communities to regulate private businesses, the measure will have no effect on a state budget deficit that was used as an excuse to eliminate collective bargaining for public employees.
Gov. Walker’s decision to sign the law nullifies Milwaukee’s sick leave ordinance that passed with 70 percent voter support in 2008 and had survived a previous challenges through the courts.
Labor groups and worker advocates in Wisconsin are criticizing Walker and the Republican state legislature, saying that both are “more committed to paying back their corporate donors than creating good jobs for Wisconsin.”
Paying back his corporate donors and allies and sticking it to working families once again, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) signed a bill that overturns Milwaukee’s paid sick leave law.
The law was passed with a 70 percent vote in 2008 and Milwaukee corporate interests soon filed suit against it, but in late March, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals upheld the law. Today, Walker went to the headquarters of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), the business group that tried to block the law, and signed the bill that preempts all Wisconsin communities from approving ordinances requiring paid sick days.
The bill was passed at the urging of the MMAC by the Republican-controlled legislature and specifically designed to block the Milwaukee law. Dana Schultz, lead organizer for 9to5, the National Association of Working Women, says Walker’s action is “an assault on democracy, local control, and working families.”
Voters can see that the governor and state legislature are more committed to paying back their corporate donors than creating good jobs for Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Area Labor Council President Shelia Cochran says state government should be working “for the people that elected them, not for a narrow group of corporate interests.”
The governor and his associates have disregarded the will of the voters, the decision of the court and opened the door to reverse local control wherever they see fit.
Meanwhile, public opposition to the agenda of Gov. Walker and members of the state legislature that have worked hand-in-hand wit the governor continues to mount.
The effort to recall state senators that voted in favor of the controversial collective bargaining legislation has proven generally successful, with a final tally of six recall elections being triggered against Republican senators that backed Gov. Walker. The recall elections will take place some time thus summer.
For a political party that thinks government interferes too much already with state and local laws they sure do love to do just that.
They scerwed with the pubic sector now there after the rest of the workers
So all those people who kept bellyaching about the “overpaid and overprotected union people” will now get paybacks!
never, have i ever, seen a person being in public office for such a short time – divide this many people – he is a complete control freak – seen him do his dirty deeds being co exec – now – here we go- hope u all that voted his sorry ass in are happy – he cares NOTHING about WI – just a soul-less person – i cant even look at him anymore – his eyes say it all – blank – like shark eyes!
The conspiracy is evident. Newly-elected Republican governors all over the country (I offer Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, to name just a few) have a mission to enslave the working class, so that the rich can just keep getting richer without those annoying little people buzzing around, trying to interfere with their profits. I guess I have to wonder what will happen to this Monopoly game when they have absolutely all the marbles, and they cannot squeeze another drop of blood from the populace. Who will buy their stuff if no one has a job, or a decent income? You can’t make Nikes in China for $2.00 and then bring them to the US and ask $150 for them. Our jobs went to China. Sell them there.
Walker and the Republicans must be acting as if they believe the nonsense that some preacher is spouting that the World will end on May 21. Because they are passing laws willy-nilly as if they believe there will be no consequences. Mark Tuesday, November 8, 2012 on your calendar. That’s the day they’ll all be out on their collective arse, except those that are recalled even earlier.
Walker, it is time for you to help the people of WI, not take their rights away. AS a man who believes in God and is a Christian, you sure don’t live the life as one. If Christ could give you any advice, it would be to be humane to others, all people deserve respect and to be treat fairly.
For me WI is no longer thought of as my home given the mistreatment, it is like my family is being kicked out our home.
Shame on you Gov. Walker
I saw this on a car today: LIBERAL: Since when is it a SIN to care about the sick, the hungry, and the homeless. You know, it is VERY apparant that Governor (for the moment) Walker and the Fitzgeralds AND the rest of the GOP care NOTHING about ANYONE about themselves and their own selfish desires. My all of them rot in hell when it is their time for judgement. Pious bastards!
This doesn’t help corporations as much as it helps small business owners. I’ts small business owners that create the most jobs and they’re the ones who can’t afford to pay people not to work. So they keep putting off the next hire!
Neanderthals took care of each other better
Neanderthals take care of each other better
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.” -Thomas Jefferson
I can only hope that Scooter and Rebecca catch salmonella from some poor bloke who can’t afford to stay home when he/she is sick….
Scott Walker………….nothin but a Prick. Cant wait until he’s RECALLED AND GONE!!