Collective bargaining law published

GREEN BAY - With a publication in the Wisconsin State Journal, the state's collective bargaining law is set to take effect on Wednesday.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Governor Scott Walker says he should have done more to prepare the public for eliminating most collective bargaining for most state employees. He admits he was just focused on completing the legislation.

Walker says his office "had not built enough of the case." He goes on to say what he "should have done, from a political standpoint, was build that case sooner."

“The proposals he has been making have been very extreme, so when Governor Walker says he didn't prepare the public enough, I would say that is absolutely true,” said Kathy Rhode with Bay Lakes United Educators or BLUE.

Rhode, who has been against Walker's plans, says the teachers with BLUE are prepared for the financial ramifications of contributing to health care and pension plans. Although, Rhode says there hasn't been enough time to prepare for the other aspects of the law.

“It seems like every day something new has been happening and we are having to adjust so we are doing the best we can to understand what the law is going to mean for us and prepare to deal with it,” said Rhode.

Now that the law is ready to take effect and the state's two-year budget has been signed, Governor Walker says it is time for Republicans and Democrats to start working together.

“We're reaching out, trying to make sure we listen, involve as many people as possible and really get back to the Wisconsin way of bringing people together,” said Walker.

While Walker says more could have been done to prepare the public, he says he gave adequate notice of his plans throughout the campaign for governor.

As for state employees affected by the health care and pension contributions, they will first see reductions in their paychecks in late August.