In a statement released Monday, Democratic State Senator Tim Carpenter announced he has drafted a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to protect the rights of workers to collectively bargain wages, benefits, hours, and work conditions.
“The recent passage of a bill in Wisconsin that effectively eliminates collective bargaining for most public employees has put Wisconsinites through a traumatic period of our history. That bill is currently being litigated in the courts, and its passage has even given rise to unprecedented efforts to recall elected officials,” said Carpenter
An amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution would need to be approved by two consecutive sessions of the state legislature before being put to the voters in a statewide referendum, so the odds are certainly stacked against a constitutional amendment protecting collective bargaining. While I appreciate the thought behind Sen. Carpenter’s proposed amendment, it’s obviously a non-starter until 2012 at the earliest, and so it’s symbolism but not much else.
It shows the workers of Wisconsin the importance of taking back the assembly and senate! It is a great move to help keep the momentum.
It’s more than symbolism…the fight back has to have a starting point and this could be it.
And where exactly is Sen. Carpenter’s proposed amendment going to go?
Nowhere until Democrats control both the Senate and the Assembly.
This is silly. Codifying into the Wisconsin Constitution that publice sector employees have a right to collectively bargain?
Constitutions are made for large things not little ones. (Might as well make it a Constitutional amendment that smokers have the right to smoke outdoors.)
I support collective bargaining but I certainly don’t support a constitutional change to make it a right for public sector employees.
May God please save us from the pettiness in politics that has invaded our lizard brains.