By Steve Gunn
Five years ago, hundreds of thousands of angry and distressed teachers and other public employees stormed the state capitol in Madison, passionately protesting Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker’s public sector labor reform legislation. As WiscNews.com put it, “The bill that later became Act 10 launched the largest protests ever in Madison, including a temporary occupation of the Capitol; legislative chaos highlighted by Democratic senators fleeing to Illinois to forestall a floor vote; and Walker’s historic recall victory. “The days, weeks and months after Walker’s Feb. 11, 2011, announcement were among the most dramatic in Wisconsin’s history.”
The emotional protests left many across the state and nation with the impression that Walker and legislative Republicans had somehow imposed a terrible injustice on public sector employees and their families. But the fact is that unchecked collective bargaining was bleeding massive resources from units of government at all levels. And overburdened taxpayers were picking up the tab.
The worst part was that taxpayers had no way to defend their wallets from constantly increasing labor costs. Public sector unions bullied employers behind closed doors, and the resulting contracts almost always increased costs for schools and municipalities, whether they could afford it or not.
Those extra costs inevitably found their way to the working people of Wisconsin......"Gov. Walker has reduced the cost of government in Wisconsin by more than $5 billion – it is the gift that will keep on giving back to taxpayers long into the future.”.....
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