Dave Blaska apparently has a source in the GOP caucus who is informing him that the party is unlikely to pursue the most radical of the anti-union measures floated by Gov. Walker.
Regarded as safe bets: The 5% mandatory employee match on pensions and 12% of health care costs would be written into statute. That takes those issues off the bargaining table. I have another report that everything would be taken off the table except salary.
What amounts to decertification by statute is apparently off the table. "So they live on, but neutered."
Still in flux is whether to deal with schools and local government later in biennial budget or in the upcoming budget repair bill. Many members want to take one tough vote rather than two.
Meanwhile, I've talked to union leaders and legislative staffers who still don't know what to expect from the GOP. One Democratic source informs me that a Republican simply told them they needed to be in session on Friday, because something big was coming.
Make sure to tune into WORT at 6:30 tonight. I'll be talking about this issue with host Mark Griffin. It was pre-recorded, so hopefully it won't be hopelessly outdated by the time you listen to it.
Also, I'd also like to point out that I misused the term "decertification" in a post earlier today. What I was actually discussing was abolishing state worker unions in Wisconsin. Decertification is a completely different process, by which workers vote on whether to be represented by a union.
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