Gov. Scott Walker’s foray into the Republican presidential field ended months ago, but he may yet have sway over the outcome.
Mr. Walker led a push five years ago to cut collective bargaining rights for most public sector workers, saying he needed to solve a state budget gap. Since then, union membership has dropped precipitously. Long a labor stronghold, the state has lost tens of thousands of union members, leaving Wisconsin with a smaller percentage of union members than the national average, new federal figures show.
The drop is most pronounced in the public sector: More than half of Wisconsin’s public workers were in unions before Mr. Walker’s cuts took effect. A little more than a quarter of them remain.
Full New York Times story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/us/with-fewer-members-a-diminished-political-role-for-wisconsin-unions.html?_r=1
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