States Put Pressure on Public Unions

24 February 2011

Firefighters show support for fellow union workers as they march at the Wisconsin state Capitol building on Monday

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Americans have been watching the protests in the Middle East and North Africa -- and closer to home. Workers in Wisconsin, and now some other states, have been protesting efforts to limit the negotiating power of government employees.

Wisconsin's newly elected governor, Scott Walker, says limits are needed on labor unions to help cut a deficit in the state budget. The Republican governor proposes to end collective bargaining rights for most public employees except on the issue of wages.

The bill has led to big, noisy demonstrations that began earlier this month in Madison, the state capital.

PROTESTERS: "This is what democracy looks like!"

Protesters sleep in the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison on Thursday at the start of the 10th day of protests. A sign refers to "New Cairo" after Paul Ryan, a Republican congressman, compared the protests to the recent events in Cairo.

The bill would not affect police or firefighters. They are barred from striking. But firefighter Mahlon Mitchell came to protest anyway.

MAHLON MITCHELL: "This is ground zero for the nation."

Democrats in the state Senate fled to the neighboring Midwestern state of Illinois. They want to prevent the Republican majority in the Wisconsin Legislature from passing the bill which they consider anti-union. Labor unions are a traditional base of support for the Democratic Party.