Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, speaking to George Will (emphasis mine):
“I am convinced,” he says, “this is about money – but not the employees’ money.” It concerns union dues, which he wants the state to stop collecting for the unions, just as he wants annual votes by state employees on re-certifying the unions. He says many employees pay $500 to $600 annually in union dues – teachers pay up to $1,000. Given a choice, many might prefer to apply this money to health care premiums or retirement plans. And he thinks “eventually” most will say about the dues collectors, “What do we need this for?”
As if that’s not evidence enough, Gov. Walker admitted he was trying to curb the power of unions:
Governor Walker, in an interview, said he hoped that by “pushing the envelope” and setting an aggressive example, Wisconsin might inspire more states to curb the power of unions. “In that regard, I hope I’m inspiration just as much as others are an inspiration to me,” he said.
In other words, Gov. Walker wants to weaken the unions, despite his multiple public statements asserting his budget “repair” bill is all about balancing the state’s budget – not about weakening the state’s public employee unions.
And we need to re-certify the unions more often than we need to re-certify our governor? Just sayin’