MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - It was a year ago this week when Governor Scott Walker proposed his landmark legislation that virtually eliminated public union bargaining privileges.
The same law requires all state and local workers not covered by union contracts to pay 12 percent of the health insurance benefits, plus 5.8 percent of their salaries toward their pensions.
Laura Dresser of the UW-Madison Center on Wisconsin Strategy says the economy’s taking a hit, because thousands of people are getting cuts in their take home pay. And Dresser says it “moves Wisconsin away from creating jobs.”
But Republicans say private sector employees have lost pension and health benefits for years – and those who didn’t lose their jobs had pay cuts on top of that.
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald says he knows it’s tough for the public workers – but the private sector has suffered more.
Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie said the changes were needed to cut the state’s budget deficit, avoid layoffs among the government and public school workforce, and slash property taxes.
Werwie said those moves are saving taxpayers $308 million a year, plus $65 million more after higher health co-pays for public employees began January 1st.
But the Wisconsin State Journal says the lowest-paid state workers are feeling the most pain – mainly because they’re paying the same health premiums as higher-paid employees.
About 2,400 state workers and retirees took a UW Extension class last year on coping with pay cuts.
