CHICAGO – Talks appear to have broken down between Wisconsin’s Democratic state senators and representatives of Gov. Scott Walker, whose plan to cut collective bargaining rights and benefits for public workers has created a major battle in the state, some of the Senate Democrats said on Sunday. þþSenator Fred Risser, one of 14 Democrats who left Wisconsin last month to prevent the Republican-dominated Senate from approving the collective bargaining measure, said it now seemed conceivable that he and his fellow Democrats would return to Wisconsin, at some point in the future, without a negotiated compromise. þþ“We have always said we would go back eventually,” Mr. Risser said, adding that the Democrats had yet to make any decision about when to go back to Madison, a move that would open the way for a vote on the proposal by Mr. Walker, a Republican elected in November. “We will have accomplished some of our purpose – to slow things up and let people know what was in this bill.” þþThe Democrats left the state on Feb. 17, the day that a vote was expected on Mr. Walker’s measure in the state Senate. While Republicans control the chamber, they need 20 senators – and, thus, at least one Democrat – to take votes on fiscal matters. þþIf the Democrats return, the Republicans, who hold a 19-14 majority in the Senate, are expected to pass the measure. The Democrats say that while they cannot permanently block that outcome, they believe public opinion has turned against the measure and that the Republicans may lose their majority in a recall effort that is now underway against senators over this issue; recalls efforts are been mounted against both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. þþIn recent days, the Democrats have been in conversations with Republican leaders over the issues most objectionable to the Democrats in Mr. Walker’s proposal – elements aimed at lessening the political power and bargaining rights of public sector unions. þþBut Mr. Walker, who has said his plans were needed to help solve the state’s current and future budget woes, has indicated that he would not be swayed on such issues. And after talks failed at the end of last week, some Democrats said they believed Mr. Walker would never consider removing collective bargaining rights from a broader package aimed at cutting pension and health care benefits to reduce the state’s deficit. þþ“He turned down any effort to compromise on the workers’ rights program,” Mr. Risser said. þþStill, while a spokesman for Mark Miller, the Democrats’ leader in the Senate, acknowledged that there had been a “setback” in talks with the governor’s representatives, he also said that reaching some sort of negotiated deal remained a top priority for the senate Democrats. þþ“I don’t think anyone is willing to throw in the towel yet,” said Mike Browne, the spokesman for Mr. Miller. þþA spokesman for Mr. Walker did not respond to a request for comment late Sunday.þ
Source: NY Times
