Honadel Supports Collective-Bargaining Measure
Republican voted in favor of governor's bill.
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Just like he said he would, Oak Creek' s state representative, Republican Mark Honadel, cast his vote in favor of Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill Thursday.
Honadel was one of 53 representatives supporting the bill. He previously said that the cost of government has continued to grow because of collective bargaining, so widespread changes like this must be made.
Forty-two members of the Assembly, including four Republicans, voted against the measure.
The Assembly's vote cleared the last hurdle for the much-controversial budget-repair bill, which now goes to Walker's desk for his signature.
Debate over the bill has engulfed the state and captivated the country since Walker unveiled the proposal Feb. 11. Walker has said he will sign the measure, which takes away most collective bargaining rights for many public unions, as soon as possible.
Harvey
7:51 pm on Thursday, March 10, 2011
I agree
Terri
6:23 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Disagree completely!
The unions were already willing to pay more into their pensions and more (on top of what they already pay) for their health insurance. That is what Walker said he needed...more money to help out the state budget. Those two items would have given them the money they wanted. Walker also said they separated out from the bill the issue collective bargaining because that was NOT a fiscal issue. So, why on earth, would you take away people's right to collectively bargain???? We are going back 40 years in time! This is just unfathomable to me in our society that this is happening here in Wisconsin!
asdsadasd
7:25 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Elroy would be so proud of his son. Way to rape the hard working middle class of Wisconsin.
LuvtheOC
8:04 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Mr. Honadel has been saying this for years and he does not want our City to get deeper and deeper into debt. I find it insulting that many think they are the only 'hard working middle class'. There are millions more people who work thier butts off and can never seem to be ahead of the 'tax game'. We are not the first state to limit collective bargaining, there are about 25 states that either prohibit it or limit it already. Texas has a lower unemployment rate, no state taxes and gas is about $2.50 there right now. Have you ever looked at the side of a gas pump to see how much tax per gallon is (about 70c). You most certainly have your right to protes, but the union people are not the only 'sleeping giant' that has been awoke. Us "non union bums" used to assume we were being raped (as you put it), now we KNOW we were getting it in all orifices!. And, a bill does not have to be fiscal to have fiscal impacts. You can open your window today, the room temperature will change...but it doesnt cost anything to open the window. I dont think we are going back in time 40 years, I think we finally have the leadership to actually move us ahead. Jill-OC
Dan
1:14 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
The reason that the state is in Debt is mostly because of the financial melt down on wall street where fat cats tried to game the system with our money, had to be bailed out, and then when the economy tanked, it was us middle classers who got creamed! The unemployment went up, housing prices went down, and the state had less revenue producing the shortfall.
It had nothing to do with the modest salaries of public workers. It also had nothing to do with collective bargaining rights to fix his budget because the unions had already agreed to the cuts to bring the budget into balance. Walker did this for one reason. To bust the unions and hurt them from pushback from the corporate policys of the Republican party.
If the state wanted to ask for shared sacrifice, they could have easily asked for half of the money for the budget in cuts by workers, and another half by raising taxes on people who make over $400,000. Who could have argued that?
Instead he gave tax breaks to big corporations and paid for it in the backs of the middle class. Thats just not fair in my mind, and I dont see how any middle class person could support that no matter if you suport public workers or not.
Not to mention he is making a 900 billion cut to education in our state which will devastate our childrens future!
BTW..the 5 states who have educators with no collective bargaining rights are ranked 50,49,48, 46, and 44 in education. See a corelation?
Pauline Tanem
1:50 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
I'm repling to Jill Check out the States that don't have collective Bargaining They are called Right to Work States I believe there are 22 Check them out and see if you really want to live there maybe if your retired they would look fine. I'd like to know how old you are and if you had a Union Member support you for your early childhood. I did and a mother also and they fled one of those Right to Work States to give their family a better life. How about Mississippi beautiful state but check out there ranking in education and wages, plus it was just in the paper as one of the unhappest states to reside it. Alabama, Arkansas check them out and you decide how our great state of Wisconsin is going to fair as a Right to Work State.
Debbie
8:35 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
You are right! It is NOT just the middle class. Don't forget about the children and the elderly.
Natalie Schneider
8:42 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
I am opposed to Hondels vote. Public employees are the most valueable asset the the government has. Let the people who are public employee's solve the problem. They know where the money can be saved. George O.C
G. JACOBSON
10:46 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Hondel is doing the right thing..The union is using Chicago politics and ruining this nation.
GO WALKER
LuvtheOC
9:02 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
Do you at least agree that it is a conflict of interest to have 2 parties on the same side bargaining for benefits at the cost of the community?
Kathy
10:47 am on Friday, March 11, 2011
The budget "crisis" has been exaggerated to provide cover for an attack on workers' rights. It will affect all workers, public or not, union or not. When we weaken unions, we weaken the middle class. There is no "shared sacrifice" in the budget bill; lower income people will suffer cuts in Badgercare, workers will lose income, and the capital gains tax is gone. How much will YOU save on that?
By attacking unions, Walker is rewarding his contributers, including the Koch Brothers.
Politicians should act in the interests of the citizens they represent, not corporate contributers.
Wisconsin went through an age of corruption in Bob La Follette's time, and we can come through this, too.
Pauline Tanem
4:24 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
thank you Kathy well said You hit on every point.
Dan
1:01 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
This was union busting and thats it plain and simple to beat Obama in a Pres Election. Fitzgerald said it loud and clear!. BTW...unions protect the wages of all non union workers as well by keeping them higher because of competition. I'm sure the non union people will all be happy when all of the state is now privatized and the average wage in any company is $7 and hour with no benifits like Walkmart while the owners make Billions. Instead of all of the people saying I dont have that, why do they? They should be saying, he has that, I should too.
The republicans have dug their own grave on this one. Walker is toast!
Pauline Tanem
2:05 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
Union Busting is what the intention was from the very beginning. Oh I love how you told one of your callers "Your a smart girl why don't you go work in the private sector" She had to punk you to get you to take her call. I hope your proud of yourself. In your office in Madison I told then and I'll say it again it is a "right to have a union" and collectively bargain an agreement.
I worked 32 years as a union member and every 3 years they sat down and worked out an agreement whats wrong with that it was" security" all you have now is uncertainty.
Peggy
3:30 pm on Friday, March 11, 2011
How can you call this union busting. You still have your precious union. The comment regarding min wage is rediculous. Wages are all relative if wages go up so does the cost of everything because it cost more to produce. When are people going to realize that union people are just puppets. The commercial about the NEA says it all... Out of the unions own mouth.."it's not about the children, it's about money and power." I say Shame on them and teachers..Do the math. You rock Mr. Honadel!!!!!
Patriot
7:35 am on Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Big Union THUGS have led to more people being laid off and or companys shut down in the last few years due to their lavish pensions and benefits that are COLLECTIVELY bargained for!! If I am not mistaking it is the wealthy business owners that provide jobs to the majority of us. Its called capitalism and if Im not mistaking that is what made this Country so GREAT!!! You see its people like you the big union supporters that are destroying this great nation!! Believe me the Unions once had a place in this great nation but today its BIG BUSINESS!! If they loose members they loose power in Washington. If they loose power in Washington they loose money!!!
So your comments regarding the Koch brothers as being big supporters of Walker yes you are correct. Its the same game the unions play in supporting the DEMS!! Nobody likes change and those of you who have been part of a Union are so used to the GRAVY TRAIN while the rest of us are required to give more and more!! Guess what its coming to an end!!! You are just a puppet of the BIG UNION MONSTERS!!
GO WALKER!!