In Wisconsin, President Obama mobilized his forcesto counter what he called an assault on public employee unions.Obama lashed out at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, who is pushing emergency legislation that would void collective-bargaining agreements for most public employees, including teachers, The Washington Post reported Friday.
Obama's political operation, Organizing for America, worked Thursday with state and national union officials to mobilize thousands of protesters to gather in Madison, and plans to do the same in capitals of other states that are considering curbs for public employee unions.
"Some of what I've heard coming out of Wisconsin, where they're just making it harder for public employees to collectively bargain generally, seems like more of an assault on unions," Obama told a Milwaukee television reporter during an interview in Washington. "I think everybody's got to make some adjustments, but I think it's also important to recognize that public employees make enormous contributions to our states and our citizens."
Under Walker's proposal, most public workers, except for police, firefighters and state troopers, would have to pay half of their pension costs and at least 12 percent of their healthcare costs. They also would lose rights to bargain for anything other than pay. Walker said the measure was necessary to save $300 million for the next two years to help shrink a $3.6 billion budget gap.
