70K Protestors Supporting Unions Descend on Madison

MADISON, Wis. - More than 70,000 protestors descended upon Madison on Saturday to voice their continued opposition to the budget bill proposed by Gov. Scott Walker.

The bill would strip collective bargaining from most state employees, like teachers.

The sentiments shared by protestors in Wisconsin were echoed by demonstrators at other state capitols across the country, where hundreds of thousands of pro-union supporters rallied.

Rep. Keith Ellison fired up a crowd of demonstrators on the capitol grounds in St. Paul.

“The people united will never be defeated,” said Ellison, who vowed to fight alongside the protestors to maintain worker’s bargaining rights. “I’m telling you right now, I’m not cold. I am not tired. I will stay and fight with you guys as long as it takes.”

Minnesota teachers and other employees stood up for their counterparts across the border in a show of union solidarity.

"Teachers are the backbone of America, and so are unions," said union supporter Bruce Rosen.

On Saturday, Eliot Seide, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees -- the largest public employee and health care worker’s union in the country, said that collective bargaining is essential to democracy.

"Over the years, thousands of workers have fought and, indeed, died for the right to collectively bargain. Collective bargaining is an American right. You can't have American democracy if you don't have a strong labor union movement,” said Seide.

Union members from other states came to Wisconsin to stand against the bill, and other rallies were held in Boston, New York and San Francisco. All had the same message: The Unions will not go down without a fight.

"Gov. Walker, here is what we say to you: ‘You can stop collective bargaining -- maybe, for a little while, but you will not stop collective action until we win,’” Siede said.

The pro-union protests are now stretching into their 13th day, and a vote on the proposed budget remains stalled by the 14 Democratic senators who left the state.

Unions throughout the state have agreed to make concessions on pensions and health care premiums -- which Walker has blamed for busting the state’s budget -- in order to keep their bargaining rights, but Walker on Sunday said once again he is not willing to compromise on the bill.