UPDATE: Huge Crowds At Wisconsin Pro-Union Rally Saturday

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UPDATE: Huge Crowds At Wisconsin Pro-Union Rally Saturday

UPDATED: Saturday, March 12, 2011 --- 5:44p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The largest crowd yet has descended on Wisconsin's Capitol to protest cuts to public worker collective bargaining rights day after Gov. Scott Walker signed the measure into law.

Protests have rocked the Capitol almost every day since Walker unveiled his proposal. But Madison Police estimate Saturday's crowd as the largest at 85,000 to 100,000 by late afternoon.

Demonstrators say they're undeterred after lawmakers passed the legislation this week and Walker to put his signature on it Friday. Labor leaders have promised to fire up members and mount a major counterattack against Republicans at the ballot box in 2012.

High school English teacher Judy Gump says passage of the measure "is so not the end." She says "this is what makes people more determined and makes them dig in."

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UPDATED Saturday, March 12, 2011 --- 3:15 p.m.

Wis. Senate Dems return to Capitol for protests

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Senate Democrats who fled the state to try to block a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's collective bargaining plan are making their first public appearance in Madison in weeks.

Thirteen of the 14 senators held a news conference Saturday before marching around the Capitol where thousands of protesters gathered a day after the governor signed the legislation.

Throngs of protesters gathered outside the news conference yelling "Fab 14, our heroes!"

The Democrats say they'll now shift their energy toward recall efforts already under way against some GOP colleagues. Senator Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee says Walker has forced Republicans into "walking the plank" by passing the law.

Some of the Democrats also are facing recall efforts.

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UPDATED Saturday, March 12, 2011 --- 12:25 p.m.

Wisconsin labor protesters refuse to quit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Thousands of pro-labor protesters are circling the Capitol in Wisconsin with dozens more inside.

While Gov. Scott Walker has already signed a contentious collective bargaining bill into law, demonstrators insist the fight is not over.

For some, the focus has shifted from trying to stop passage of the bill to generating momentum for recall efforts against Republicans. Others are simply venting their frustration over the law taking away most of public workers' collective bargaining rights.

Madison Memorial High School English teacher Judy Gump says the fight is far from over. She says if the first person who got arrested during the civil rights movement had given up, the movement would have failed.

Recall efforts have been started for a number of senators on both sides of the issue.

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UPDATED Saturday, March 12, 2011 --- 12:15 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) released the following statement this morning in response to today's protest:

“Today, the most shameful 14 people in the state of Wisconsin are going to pat themselves on the back and smile for the cameras. They’re going to pretend they’re heroes for taking a three-week vacation.

“It is an absolute insult to the hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites who are struggling to find a job, much less one they can run away from and go down to Illinois – with pay.

“Their appearance at the Capitol today is in direct violation of the contempt order issued by the state Senate earlier this month, and it proves their absolute disregard for the institution of the Senate and the constitution they took an oath of office to serve.

“But the people of Wisconsin won’t forget what they were really doing these past few weeks.

“Sen. Tim Cullen refused to come back to save 1,500 jobs.

“Sen. Bob Wirch refused to come back to save countless middle-class jobs at the state and local levels.

“Sen. Mark Miller refused to come back even to make sure his own staff were safe in the Capitol he abandoned.

“Sen. Fred Risser refused to come back out of respect for the institution and dignity of the state Senate.

“Sen. Bob Jauch refused to come back even though our side was negotiating in good faith to try to find a reasonable compromise.

“Sens. Jon Erpenbach, Chris Larson and Lena Taylor were all too happy to pat themselves on the back and smile for the cameras in Illinois, never mind their constituents here in Wisconsin.

“And Sens. Dave Hansen, Kathleen Vinehout, Tim Carpenter, Spencer Coggs, Jim Holperin, and Julie Lassa refused to come back to actually do the job they were elected to do.

“To the Senate Democrats: when you smile for the cameras today and pretend you’re heroes, I hope you look at that beautiful Capitol building you insulted. And I hope you’re embarassed to call yourselves senators.”

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UPDATED Saturday, March 12, 2011 --- 5:30 a.m.

Huge crowds expected at Wisconsin pro-union rally

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democratic and union leaders are expecting a huge crowd at a rally in the capital against a new Republican-sponsored law that drastically weakens the state's public employee unions.

Opponents of the law that would strip most public employees of nearly all their collective bargaining rights say the fight is not over even though Gov. Scott Walker signed it into law on Friday.

Union supporters have staged several large protests in Madison over the past month. They have vowed to step up efforts to recall Republican senators who backed the bill.

The 14 Democratic senators who fled the state to slow action on the bill are expected to attend Saturday's rally.

Gov. Scott Walker says the bill is necessary to help balance the state budget.

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UPDATED Friday, March 11, 2011 --- 11:55 a.m.

14 AWOL Dems to speak at Capitol weekend rally

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- All 14 Democratic state senators who fled the state to stall action on a controversial bill are slated to appear together at a Madison rally this weekend to thank demonstrators.

The senators will hold a noontime news conference Saturday at Monona Terrace and then march several blocks to the Capitol for a 3 p.m. rally.

Sen. Chris Larson says his message for demonstrators will be that this is only the beginning. He says it's time to step up recall efforts against Republican Senators and rally opposition to Gov. Scott Walker's budget bill.

Larson and his colleagues fled the state three weeks ago to slow a bill that strips collective-bargaining rights from most public workers. Legislators passed that aspect of the bill this week and Walker has signed it into law.

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Posted Thursday, March 10, 2011 --- 10:55 a.m.

Wis. Democrats returning after 3 weeks in Illinois

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Senate Democrats who fled to Illinois three weeks ago are coming back.

Sen. Jim Holperin said Thursday that he was on his way home to Conover and other Democrats were either on their way back or would be leaving soon.

He says there was no reason for them to stay away any longer since Senate Republicans passed the bill without them on Wednesday night.

He says he didn't think any of the other senators would return to the Capitol since the Senate wasn't scheduled to be in session again until April 5.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

by Hey how come? on Mar 14, 2011 at 06:00 PM

Hey Bonnie @ 11:06 how come your out protesting when you have family in Japan? I would be trying to use skype to contact them to make sure they are ok. Then I'd go out storming around the capitol.

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by Chooser Location: Madison on Mar 14, 2011 at 03:46 PM

Bonnie, do you hear that? It's the WI's smallest violin playing especially for you. Just calling em like I see them. Sorry you feel so guilty, wait no I'm not, you'll have to live with your shame. Seems everyone's forgotten JFK's immortal words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!" Heaven forbid you have to contribute the same % or less to your retirement and benefits as we do. Without union backing you just may have to work for a living if your employer cares about performance.

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by Not rich enough to be republican Location: Private Sector on Mar 14, 2011 at 02:42 PM

Sorry Chooser, wrong party. The greed is coming out of the governor's office. Did you miss the part about filling his pockets with Koch's bribes?

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by The Real Truth Location: NO DITTO HERE. Private Sector. on Mar 14, 2011 at 02:39 PM

(un)truth, remember to agree with the MAJORITY when the MAJORITY has it's way with prince walker's RECALL. I'm sure the hypocrite will sneak right out of your soul about then.

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by pastorspet on Mar 14, 2011 at 02:21 PM

I am proud to stand with the people who were at this rally. I think that what those who support this don't see is the harm that will be done to the poor and needy. I'm not talking about the union members, I'm talking about those who are working for minimum wage but are still poor. The Dictator/governor wants to cut the earned income tax relief. This amounts to a tax hike for the poor while the rich get tax breaks. This is wrong! Walker and the Republican's care only for those who swallow all the garbage they are spewing. It is the poor and disenfranchised who will suffer under this. Wait until it hits you. Eventually it will make everyone's life harder, except for those who are extremely rich.

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by Anonymous on Mar 14, 2011 at 02:02 PM

10:34 I love this, Walker fans are nervous about what? The guy is going to be in office for a full year. That means 365 days of proving "YOU PEOPLE" wrong on a daily basis. I'm also quite sure that even after "YOU PEOPLE" see the difference in the budget and not losing jobs or the programs "(YOU THINK) are going to be lost, "YOU PEOPLE" will still be in denial because the only thing I'm still hearing is "how little extra" You'll have to be contributing "AGAIN" (how interesting that it is going back to that versus "OUR RIGHTS"), rather the balancing the budget and saving jobs. Although I disagree with the saving of jobs part given the fact the unions would rather have laid people off rather than unions being tossed out the window which should have been done years ago starting with their so called leaders.

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by truth Location: madison on Mar 14, 2011 at 11:37 AM

The fact is: The election was over in November. The majority of the people in WI voted for republican representation. Republicans hold a the seat advantage. Majority wins! Did Obama respect our views when they shoved that healthcare bill down our throat, NO!! Did Repulicans run out on the system, NO!!

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by meh Location: wi on Mar 14, 2011 at 11:30 AM

@PAB, Private unions are not the issue. In public service, the union model does not work. We as taxpayers need government services that operate without disruption, such as a strike. That includes police, fire, prisons, judges and education of our children. No collective bargaining works well at the Federal level and should be no different ar the State level. There are many laws protecting the government employee. The difference is all government operations are paid for by the private taxpayer. While government employees pay taxes, their income has come from taxes paid by the private sector. For the few public workers that have some non government sources of income, then those could be considered similar to private taxpayers.

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by Anom Location: Portage on Mar 14, 2011 at 11:15 AM

Where were the protests when Doyle and his croonies stole money from various Accounts and used it to pay bills? Where were the protests on the capital when furlough days were enacted? You just went quietly and said"yes sir" why because "smiley" said so...get a grip! Put your big girl pants on and move on....Walker is fixing what is broke, by Doyle!

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by Bonnie Location: rural WI on Mar 14, 2011 at 11:06 AM

To Chooser --- It would seem that you dislike union members and teachers specifically. Do you also dislike Seniors? Are you aware that if Walker's Budget passes as proposed this would effectively end the state's SeniorCare prescription drug program in its current form, forcing thousands of people to enroll in more expensive private plans available through Medicare Part D? Oh, but no big deal because most Seniors have money to spare, right? Do you also dislike WI Children? Gov.Walker's budget would also cut out $834 million in state funds for education. It might be helpful to get better informed.The teachers and other union members agreed to the increased payments in insurance costs and pension contributions. Finally, don't you DARE tell me I don't care about Japan because I'm out protesting! I have immediate family in Okinawa, Japan. I have been absolutely worried sick. Thankfully, so far, they are fine. God help us all if this is the cold callous attitude in this state.We need it!

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