Gov. Walker defends union legislation as 'truly progressive'

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The Hill:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday said his move to end collective bargaining rights for public workers was a "modest request" to make given the state's fiscal woes.

Walker appeared on Capitol Hill Thursday for the first time since his standoff with labor began earlier this year. Testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the governor set out to define his budget plan as a reasonable measure to shore up the state's budget despite protests from labor.

"In Wisconsin, we are doing something truly progressive. In addition to holding the line on spending and finding efficiencies in state government, we are implementing long term budget reforms focused on protecting middle class jobs and middle class taxpayers," Walker says in prepared testimony posted on the committee's website.
Walker said Wisconsin is asking state workers to contribute more of their own money to their pensions and health insurance costs in order to save local governments millions of dollars.

"Even federal employees pay more than twice what we are asking state and local government workers to pay and most of them don't have collective bargaining for wages and benefits," Walker said in his prepare remarks. "These facts beg the question as to why protesters are in Wisconsin and not in Washington, D.C. By nearly any measure, our requests are quite reasonable."

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the committee's ranking member, accused Walker of hurting workers.