State Rep. Diane Russell, D-Portland, said she felt compelled to be in Madison, Wis., where thousands are protesting the governor’s proposal to sharply limit the ability of unions representing state workers to bargain collectively.

“It’s one of those moments in history that you want to be fully present for,” said Russell, who drove with four others from Maine to Wisconsin, leaving Sunday and arriving Monday night in the capital city.

Russell said the battle between unions and the Republican governor and GOP-controlled legislature is a “class war” that she fears could be repeated in Maine. Her concern is what led her to travel nonstop halfway across the country to join the protesters.

“It’s certainly not the norm for me to do this,” Russell said. “I’m about as nonspontaneous as possible.”

But Russell said the more she heard about the protests and the proposal of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, the more she felt she had to go. Walker’s bill, which he said is needed to help close a budget gap, would require state workers to pay more into their pension plans and increase their share of the cost of health insurance. It would also limit the union’s ability to negotiate pay increases and require an annual vote to recertify the union as the representative of most state workers.

“This is unjust,” Russell said. “It’s cutting to the heart of workers’ ability to organize.”

Russell said she put out an appeal for donations before leaving and has checked on the fund-raising effort as she’s traveled. She said about $2,500 had been raised as of Monday night, and the money would be used to buy coffee, hot chocolate and hand-warmers for protesters who have clogged the Wisconsin statehouse for most of the past week.

Russell said she’s afraid Maine’s Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican, might target Maine’s public employees union if the effort in Wisconsin and a similar proposal in Ohio are successful.

“It’s corporate America and Wall Street versus Main Street,” she said.

Russell, who conducted interviews while on the road, including one with conservative talk show host Sean Hannity, said she doesn’t have any firm plans for what she will do in Wisconsin beyond lending support and giving hot drinks to protesters today.

“I don’t know what it’s going to turn into,” she said. “You ever have a gut feeling that you know you’ve got to be somewhere? That’s what’s driven me.”

Staff Writer Edward D. Murphy can be contacted at 791-6465 or at: emurphy@pressherald.com

 

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