MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Republicans on Sunday upped the pressure on Democrats who fled to Illinois to return home and vote on an anti-union bill, with the Republican governor calling them obstructionists and a GOP lawmaker threatening to convene without them.

Gov. Scott Walker said the 14 minority Democrats who left Madison on Thursday were failing to do their jobs by “hiding out” in another state. And Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said his chamber would meet Tuesday to act on nonspending bills and confirm some of the governor’s appointees even if the Democrats don’t show up — a scenario that should outrage their constituents.

Senate Democrats admit that in their absence, the 19 Republicans could pass any item that doesn’t spend state money.

Nonetheless, Democrats said they were standing firm in their opposition to the budget-repair bill, which would take away most public employees’ right to collectively bargain for their benefits and working conditions.

Hundreds of protesters filled the Capitol for a sixth straight day, noisily calling on Walker to drop the plan they consider an assault on workers’ rights.

Mary Bell, president of Wisconsin’s powerful teachers’ union, called on teachers to return to work rather than continue absences to protest that have shut down public schools across the state. In districts that do not recognize Presidents Day, she said, teachers should go to work today. Others should report as scheduled on Tuesday.

Bell said unions agreed to cuts in health care and retirement benefits that could reduce take-home pay for many workers by about 8 percent, and it was time for the governor to compromise.

Walker told “Fox News Sunday” that he didn’t believe union leaders were really interested in giving up their benefits and cities, school districts and counties will need weakened unions to cut spending for years to come. “We’re willing to take this as long as it takes because in the end we’re doing the right thing,” Walker said.

 


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