http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/scottwalker-dream-279h.jpgVideo Exposes Governor Walker’s True Priorities

MADISON – On Wednesday, Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) and Assistant Democratic Leader Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) shared an important video that highlights Governor Walker’s stance on the Republicans’ extreme “Right to Work” proposal.

The video shows Governor Walker discussing the importance of private-sector unions during the Act 10 debate. The Governor said: “The bill I put forward isn’t aimed at state workers, and it certainly isn’t a battle with unions. If it was, we would have eliminated collective bargaining entirely or we would have gone after the private-sector unions. But we did not because they are our partners in economic development. We need them to help us put 250,000 people to work in the private sector over the next four years.”

Representatives Barca and Shankland urged accountability for Governor Walker on his deceitful actions on RTW and highlighted the fact that its timing is intended to distract the people of Wisconsin from the incredibly harmful Walker budget.

“By his own words, Governor Walker knows that our private-sector unions are critical partners in economic development that put people to work,” Rep. Peter Barca said. “He knows that private-sector unions play an important role in training a safe and effective workforce. Up until a couple weeks ago, he said that Right to Work is a distraction that will hurt efforts to get Wisconsin’s sputtering economy going again. The Governor said that jobs are his top priority and this video again exposes that jobs were never his top priority.”

“The Governor is not just a flip-flopper, he is a master manipulator,” Rep. Shankland added. “There is little doubt that Governor Walker is using this issue to curry favor with right-wing funding sources and distract from his $2.2 billion budget deficit and a state economy that lags behind most of the nation. Democrats are not going to stand idly by as he further harms the middle-class workers and families who are the backbone of this state.”

“This Right to Work distraction is just one more piece of Governor Walker’s concerted effort to hide the damage he’s done to Wisconsin in order to boost his national profile,” Rep. Barca added. “Make no mistake – this is a dramatic and destructive piece of legislation that will result in a huge hit to the middle class. And the timing of this is so clearly meant to cover up the governor’s harmful budget.”