Wisconsin governor defends attacking unions

Walker admits weakening unions doesn’t save money

“SOMETIMES,” GOV. SCOTT Walker (R-WI) told Congress on April 14, “bipartisanship is not so good.”

He was testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform during a hearing on “State and Municipal Debt: Tough Choices Ahead.”

The committee called on two governors with diametrically opposed management styles to testify: Walker and Gov. Pat Shumlin from Vermont.

Shumlin testified about how governors can balance their state budgets without creating widespread animosity in their states.

“You can get this job done, you can balance your budget, you can create jobs in your state without taking on the basic right of collective bargaining,” he said. “If you want to go after collective bargaining ... just come out and say it.” Walker came out and said it — though it took a little prodding from Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH).

After explaining that as a local official he tried for years to negotiate with unions but got nowhere, Walker claimed collective bargaining forced previous governors to put off the hard decisions necessary to rein in spending. He claimed his changes in local governments would save more than $700 million a year.

But when Kucinich pressed him to tell exactly how much weakening unions would save the state each year, Walker tried to avoid answering.

Kucinich pressed on. “How much money does it save, Governor? Just answer the question.”

To which Walker replied, “That particular part doesn’t save any.”