Just when you thought Scott Walker’s horrible budget couldn’t get any worse for Wisconsin, Republicans, in tandem with Scott Walker’s office, unleashed a slew of bad budget items and snuck them into the budget at the last minute. The omnibus package of budget provisions called “Motion 999” is a list of (mostly) non-fiscal items that are controversial and unpopular with the public. Republicans also in a last-minute maneuver introduced and passed massive changes to prevailing wage laws.
The 999 Motion is a shady and despicable way for Republicans to sneak into the budget what they want to without having to adhere to the standards of the normal democratic process. This grab bag of bad budget items is the end-all motion for special interests and full of givebacks to campaign donors. Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for releasing this package at the last minute, before the 4th of July holiday weekend, in a clear attempt to avoid public debate and scrutiny.
Last night, just before midnight, the state Senate signed off on Scott Walker’s budget. Today, the Assembly is debating the budget and is expected to take a vote before 11:00 p.m.
Here is a quick list of some of the most atrocious aspects slipped into the budget at the last minute:
Prevailing Wage Destruction: Republicans quickly adopted and passed a budget amendment to largely dismantle the state’s long-standing prevailing wage standards for hardworking construction workers. The amendment repeals prevailing wage for all local government projects and federalizes prevailing wage rates for all state projects. This will lower wages for all workers, union and non, and continue to chip away at our middle class.
No Weekend for Workers: This provision in the Motion 999 will remove the 24-hour required rest period in a 7-day work week. Workers across Wisconsin have earned the right to time off-the-clock to spend with family, friends and to take part in religious and community activities. Removing the required rest period leads to intimidation in the workplace and to an environment where bosses can pressure workers into working every single day of every single month without needed rest.
Elimination of Living Wages, Obstacles to Raising Wages: Currently, Wisconsin’s minimum wage statute says that the minimum wage must be a living wage and calls upon the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to set a living wage. Motion 999 strikes all references to a living wage from the statute and eliminates any process for filing, investigating, and finding a violation that a worker – while receiving the state’s minimum wage rate – is not receiving an actual living wage.
In addition, the Motion 999 incorporates all of the current minimum wage rates set by the DWD and codified in Wisconsin’s Administrative Code (e.g., basic minimum wage of $7.25, the tipped wage rate of $2.33, the opportunity wage rate of $5.90 per hour) into the statutes. Incorporation of the minimum wage rate into the statutes will make it more difficult for any new Governor to increase the minimum wage rates in the future.
The Motion 999 continues to codify the removal of the authority of local bodies of government to set a living wage standard in their communities.
Union Election Changes: It is unimaginable that the Republicans could take away more rights from public employees, but the budget does just that. Currently, under Act 10, if public employees have not yet joined together in a union and they wish to do so, they must simply meet the normal democratic standard of a majority of votes to unionize. The provision in Motion 999 will now require that public employees who want to organize a new union must meet the more burdensome Act 10 standard of 51% of all eligible employees in a bargaining unit. No politician would ever hold office if they had to use the same standard.
Taking Away a Requirement of Licensed Electricians: The Motion 999 removes the requirement that only Licensed Electricians conduct work on the installation, repair, and maintenance of private on-site wastewater treatment systems and well pumps.
IRIS/Family Care: The Motion 999 included further destruction of our Family Care program that cares for our elderly and disabled populations.
Payday Lender Expansion: The JFC bowed to the payday lender lobbyists by giving the malicious payday lender industry, which preys on low-wage workers and the vulnerable, the ability to sell even more financial products and services.
This is the most destructive budget we have ever seen and has been put together in shameful secrecy. From destroying prevailing wage standards for hardworking construction workers, to unbelievable cuts to our UW-System, to a shocking late night move to take away the weekend. The list goes on and on.
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