Scott Walker
{{#badges:Stub}} Scott Walker is the Republican Governor of Wisconsin who in 2011 proposed sharply curtailing the bargaining rights of public employee unions as a way to achieve budget savings. His proposal gave rise to unprecedented state-wide protests in Wisconsin.[1]
Contents
Biography
Scott Walker is the son of a preacher and Scott Walker grew up in the small town of Delavan, Wisconsin.[2]
Attack on labor unions
Walker called his union-busting measure a "budget repair bill" and portrayed it as a way to keep more people from being forced to apply for unemployment compensation. His proposal drew outrage from labor unions in Wisconsin, and gave rise to unprecedented, huge protests at the Wisconsin state capitol. Elements of Walker's proposal include limiting state employees' wage increases to the rate of inflation unless approved in a voter referendum. State workers other than police, fire, and inspectors would lose many of their bargaining rights and could opt out of paying union dues after current contracts expire, with dues no longer collected automatically. Wisconsin state workers would have to raise the amount they contribute to their pensions to 5.8 percent of salary, and double their contribution to their health insurance premiums to 12.6 percent of their salary.[3][4]
Protests against budget bill
In addition to tens of thousands of people rallying in Madison, Wisconsin's state capitol, to oppose Walker's budget plan, students and teachers around the state conducted walkouts, effectively shutting down entire school systems around the state. Walkouts closed Madison-area schools for days in a row.[5] [6] [7]
Relationship to the Koch brothers
OpenSecrets.org (the Center for Responsive Politics) reports that Koch Industries donated $15,000 on July 8, 2010 and another $28,000 on September 27, 2010 and to the Friends of Scott Walker political action committee, to help elect Scott Walker as Governor of Wisconsin. A Koch subsidiary owns a pipeline that runs through Wisconsin. Walker has taken more then 70,000 from gas and pipeline companies, and opposed a high speed rail project that would have reduced Wisconsin's dependence on oil [8][9][10]
Sourcewatch resources
- Wisconsin Governor Walks on Workers, Brendan Fischer, PRWatch.org, February 16, 2011
- Koch Industries
External resources
- Meet Scott Walker, biography
Contact
References
- ↑ Scott Bauer Protests of anti-union bill swell to 25,000 people at Wisconsin state Capitol, Canadian Business Online, February 17, 2011
- ↑ Scott Walker Meet Scott Walker About/Biography, accessed February 17, 2100
- ↑ Jeff Mayers Wisconsin governor wants to sharply curb unions, Reuters, February 11, 2011
- ↑ Phil Gast State Democrats absent for vote as Wisconsin protests swell, CNN, February 17, 2011
- ↑ WEAU.com Walkout forces Madison Schools to close for 2nd day in a row, February 16, 2011
- ↑ Neil Johnson Protests against Walker plan set, Janesville Gazette, February 17, 2011
- ↑ Patti Zarling Bay Port students walk out to protest budget repair bill, Green Bay Press-Gazette, February 17, 2011
- ↑ Center for Responsive Politics Koch Industry Expenditures, 2010 Election cycle, accessed February 17, 2011
- ↑ Lisa Kaiser Tea Party Backers Koch Industries Donated $15,000 to Scott Walker, Express Milwaukee (blog), September 7, 2010
- ↑ Scot Ross Koch Brothers Fill Up Walker's Campaign Tank, One Wisconsin Now, September 7, 2010
