Mark Miller, the Democratic Minority Leader in the Wisconsin state Senate, spoke via phone to CNN Thursday afternoon, saying that Republicans would have to convince Democrats they could “enter into a responsible dialogue” and drop Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-union budget proposals, in order to end the Democrats’ walkout to block a supermajority quorum for the state budget.
Miller was also asked where he and the Democrats were, in response to reports that the missing politicians had left the state in order to prevent authorities from forcing them back to the legislature. Miller would not get specific — though he did make it clear the Dems aren’t all together.
“We are located in what we consider a secure location outside the Capitol,” said Miller. “We are not all in one place at this time.”
Separately, Dem state Sen. Jon Erpenbach has said that he believes all 14 Democratic legislators are outside the state.
Under Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s plan, as TPM has reported, most state workers would no longer be able to negotiate for better pensions or health benefits or anything other than higher salaries, which couldn’t rise at a quicker pace than the Consumer Price Index. Walker and state Republican leaders have said the plan to limit the collective bargaining rights of state employees is necessary to deal with the state’s budget shortfall.
According to the Associated Press: “The proposal would effectively remove unions’ right to negotiate in any meaningful way. Local law enforcement and fire employees, as well as state troopers and inspectors would be exempt.”
In the past week, the state Capitol has been deluged with protests, and some schools have closed as a result of teachers calling in sick en masse.
