The plight of the Wisconsin public sector workers is well documented but in the light of the perceived failures of the recent recall elections and indeed in anticipation of the 2012 elections is it fair to suggest there were few victors in the fight to reinstate workers rights in the badger state, that in fact what has resulted is an even more polarized politic and a more deeply entrenched partisan gridlock. In order to fully understand the resulting political fallout, it is perhaps wise to first deal in a synopsis of what was and still is at stake in this seemingly endless push for retention of what most other developed countries consider a right. It is not necessary here to analyse the history of labour law in the United States, but it suffices to say that the laws have always been heavily weighted in favour of the employers and not the employees.
In January 2011 Republican Scott Walker victor in a hotly contested gubernational race became Governor of Wisconsin and within two months he had introduced one of the biggest anti-labour bills in recent years. The bill required greater pension and health insurance contributions from public workers, limited the ability of public sector workers to collectively bargain and granted the authorities the right to fire any employee who participates in a strike or walk-out during a governor-declared state of emergency. He did all of this in an attempt to curb the spirally state debt. While these measures, particularly in relation to contributions are reflective of austerity measures taken throughout the world in these recessionary times, even Ireland in its debt crisis has not gone as far as stripping public workers of collective bargaining rights.
Obviously this bill resulted in outrage from the left and the union movement. Protests of a magnitude never before seen plagued the state capitol in Madison. Within days hundreds of people had began a sit-in in the capitol atrium, Governor Walker had put the National Guard at full readiness to respond. Next claim the flight of the democratic state senators, meaning a vote could not take place on the Bill, 14 democratic state senators fled across state lines to Illinois to ensure a quorum of twenty was not reached in the senate. The Bill inevitably however came to a vote with Republican state senators clearing the way for the measure to be voted on without the presence of the 14 democratic senators. Gov. Walker signed it into law on March 11th bringing an uncertain end to the protests plaguing the capitol building.
The public protests were soon followed by political ones as union activists and Republican supporters alike sought to recall state senators in an attempt on the part of democrats to gain a majority in the senate (3 seats gain) and on the part of republicans to gain a quorum super majority (1 seat gain). After thousands of signatures and millions of dollars in campaign spending neither reached their goal. Democrats held their own seats but only gained two meaning the GOP controlled senate remained intact. When the dust settled were there any clear winners? What next for the battle hardened Wisconsin unions and their GOP foes? Republicans claim to have proven the state is united behind Gov. Walker’s budget measures. While democrats and unions alike may claim a moral victory, they lost none of the GOP forced recall elections and united a debilitated left behind a cause once more. This may seem a hollow victory of sorts but may prove the measure in 2012 elections shaping up to be as partisan and ideologically entrenched as this country has ever seen. In 2008 Wisconsin gave her electoral votes to Obama by a margin of some 14% yet still she remains a red state. This may change in 2012, the grassroots work undertaken by the Wisconsin unions and democrats in this summer’s recall petitions may prove the difference when the Badger State once again returns to the polls, right now however it is difficult to see any victor in this debacle.
