Wisconsin lawmakers' union talks stall

MADISON, Wis. - Negotiations have stalled in Wisconsin over GOP-backed efforts to strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights, a Democratic lawmaker said yesterday as pro-union demonstrators neared their third straight week of protests at the state Capitol.

Sen. Tim Cullen said talks with Republicans broke down Thursday but communication lines remain open. Cullen said it's difficult for either side to compromise, because Democrats don't want to lose support from their base and GOP Gov. Scott Walker doesn't want to appear weak by backing down.

Cullen was among the 14 Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to block a vote on the bill, which Walker has said is needed to help ease a state budget deficit projected to hit $3.6 billion by mid-2013. Walker's spokesman didn't return a message yesterday, though the governor has said that he won't compromise on the collective bargaining issue or anything that saves the state money.

Two other senators who fled the state joined the Rev. Jesse Jackson in Chicago to urge Walker to negotiate with workers. Sen. Lena Taylor said Democrats left because they "needed to slow the bill down" after it was approved unchanged in the State Assembly.

"I ask the governor, 'do your job. Come to the table and speak to Wisconsin workers.' We agree that fiscally we need to do things differently," Taylor said.

Sen. Chris Larson urged protesters to stay strong. "We've been here for the last 16 days we'll continue to be here until worker's rights are removed as the target in this budget repair bill by our governor," he said.

Opponents see Walker's bill as an effort to weaken unions, and protests have drawn tens of thousands of people to Madison since activists began a sit-in at the Capitol nearly three weeks ago. A judge late last week ended protesters' overnight stays, but several hundred were back in the rotunda yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, liberal filmmaker Michael Moore urged Wisconsin residents Saturday to fight Republican-backed efforts to strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights, telling thousands of protesters that "Madison is only the beginning."

The crowd roared in approval as Moore implored demonstrators to keep up their struggle against Walker's legislation, comparing their fight to Egypt's revolt. He also thanked the 14 state Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to block a vote on the bill, saying they'll go down in history books.