Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has issued notices to unions representing state workers, warning them of potential layoffs in early April if the budget deadlock persists.
“If the Senate Democrats come back to Wisconsin, these notices may be able to be rescinded and layoffs avoided,” the Republican governor’s office said in an e-mail announcing the layoff notices, according to Reuters. “Without Senate action within 15 days, individual employees may begin to receive potential termination notifications.”
Walker has been trying to pass his budget bill, which curbs the collective bargaining rights of public-sector unions, yet all the 14 Democratic senators escaped the state on Feb. 17, when the state Senate was scheduled to vote.
The Republicans hold a majority in the 33-member Senate with 19 seats, but they are still one seat short to reach a quorum and pass the bill. The Democrats have yet to return.
Walker explained in a TV address in late February that the budget is not an attack on unions but a necessary measure to balance the state’s projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall by 2014.
Walker did not specify on Friday the number of workers affected, but he said earlier up to 1,500 workers could lose their jobs by July and another 6,000 over the next two years.
Even though Walker said he wanted the Democratic lawmakers back to work, Democrats who came to the Capitol found it less than welcoming.
A Wisconsin Democrat was tackled by Capitol police as he attempted to walk through a door in the building. In another case, Democratic assembly member Nick Milroy tried to get into the building on Thursday, but he was blocked and pushed to the ground by police officers before he could display official identification, according to CNN.
“If the Senate Democrats come back to Wisconsin, these notices may be able to be rescinded and layoffs avoided,” the Republican governor’s office said in an e-mail announcing the layoff notices, according to Reuters. “Without Senate action within 15 days, individual employees may begin to receive potential termination notifications.”
Walker has been trying to pass his budget bill, which curbs the collective bargaining rights of public-sector unions, yet all the 14 Democratic senators escaped the state on Feb. 17, when the state Senate was scheduled to vote.
The Republicans hold a majority in the 33-member Senate with 19 seats, but they are still one seat short to reach a quorum and pass the bill. The Democrats have yet to return.
Walker explained in a TV address in late February that the budget is not an attack on unions but a necessary measure to balance the state’s projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall by 2014.
Walker did not specify on Friday the number of workers affected, but he said earlier up to 1,500 workers could lose their jobs by July and another 6,000 over the next two years.
Even though Walker said he wanted the Democratic lawmakers back to work, Democrats who came to the Capitol found it less than welcoming.
A Wisconsin Democrat was tackled by Capitol police as he attempted to walk through a door in the building. In another case, Democratic assembly member Nick Milroy tried to get into the building on Thursday, but he was blocked and pushed to the ground by police officers before he could display official identification, according to CNN.
