Koch-Backed Bill Guts Local Control
Bars local governments from setting many labor and employment rules.
Koch Brothers
A bill that forbids local governments from setting numerous labor and employment rules was approved Thursday by the Assembly and sent to Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
The measure, Assembly Bill 748, would:
- Forbid local governments from setting higher minimum wages for contractors hired for public works projects;
- Prohibit local governments from using labor peace agreements where employers agree not to interfere with attempts by labor unions to organize workers;
- Forbid local governments from setting occupational licensing regulations that are tougher than state standards;
- Prohibit local governments from establishing minimum standards for employment benefits;
- Forbid local governments from handling wage claims or passing ordinances that prohibit employers from asking about a worker’s salary history.
A controversial provision in the original bill was removed that would have barred local governments from enforcing employment discrimination ordinances. In addition, the bill was amended so that some of its provisions do not apply to agreements by businesses and communities in connection with the proposed Foxconn manufacturing plant in Racine County.
Support for the bill is being led by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the state’s largest business group, and the rightwing Americans for Prosperity, a secretive outside electioneering group created by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch.
WMC, which is among the largest special interest spenders on outside electioneering activities, has doled out an estimated $18.6 million since January 2010 to support GOP and conservative legislative and statewide candidates. Americans for Prosperity has spent an estimated $5.7 million since 2010 in Wisconsin to support conservative and GOP legislative and statewide candidates.
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More BIG GOVERNMENT Nanny State intrusion and overreach by the Big Government Nanny State Control Freak Republicans in Wisconsin. These charlatans are at the beck and call of their corporate masters as usual.
Dump Walker 2018
Dump ALL Republicans 2018
Walker, Vos and the GOP are corrupt and are ruling our state not governing. GOP have been taking away local control to benefits big corporations. Watch how they take our water rights totally away. We must throw throw them all out now.
No question the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), the AFP, the Kochs and ALEC are behind these bills to wrestle power away from Wisconsin communities, but I strongly believe municipal administrations and their local chambers of commerce support and endorse these bills through their silence. Look around, from the hundreds of city administrations including the Municipal League, they are not protesting or sending letters of condemnation. They requested these bills and push republicans to get them passed. Why do you think Walker and Republicans keep drafts and communications secret? We’ll never beat this if we keep trying to fight the koch phantoms.
Most of us are tired from fighting the conventional political enemies and constantly losing. There’s a reason why. The enemy behind these bills are the un-elected people and the friendly neighborly lobby in each of our own back yards.
Local control republicans strike again.