Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has finally been successful in limiting collective bargaining (or union representation) rights of many public employees, on the pretense of fixing the budget.  This is a dangerous and partisan bill that is already spreading its misguided ideas to other states.

The bill was originally part of Walker’s budget proposal, which also called for public employees, like teachers and prison guards, to contribute more money to their pensions and health care plans.

Walker separated the collective bargaining portion from the budget proposal to get around the absence of Democratic state senators, who were hiding in Illinois to prevent its passage.

The passed bill eliminates collective bargaining rights for teachers and other public employees in every case but salary, according to Madison’s Channel 3000.  This means they cannot argue any changes to their pensions, health care, working hours, or anything else.  These are important rights workers have worked years to get.

“In 30 minutes, 18 state senators undid 50 years of civil rights in Wisconsin,” Mark Miller, Democratic Wisconsin senator, said in a statement. “Their disrespect for the people of Wisconsin and their rights is an outrage that will never be forgotten.”

This bill is was never really about the budget.  Walker could have achieved his budget goals without taking such drastic steps, as public unions have agreed to his pension reforms, and he continues to advocate for deficit-worsening tax breaks.

“When our new governor took office, he had a projected fiscal surplus for the year,” Marshall Johnson, sociology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, said.  “He granted benefits to his wealthy supporters, which created a deficit, which Wisconsin law says he has to fix.”

Walker’s real intention has long been to eradicate Wisconsin’s unions, as he proved by forcing his collective bargaining bill through the senate separate from the budget.

“This is a coordinated attack.  Other governors have made similar announcements [limiting collective bargaining] in Tennessee and Ohio,” Johnson said.  “The governor’s point of view is not about the money, it’s about breaking unions.”

Unions are not perfect by any means, but they are necessary as a representative of workers.  So few political organizations support workers anymore that eliminating union rights would throw the balance of power strongly to employers.

“The union busting is for a purpose, a further shift in power to the wealthiest one percent in this country,” Johnson said.

Teachers and other public employees are right to protest this bill.  Wisconsin senate Republicans have allowed a severe limitation to be put on employees’ rights as workers and as citizens.

Even worse, this will give a go ahead for other states like Illinois to take the same path, until America is no longer truly free for its educators.