After side-stepping traditional procedure, the Wisconsin State assembly voted early Friday morning to pass the legislation that has made the state a battleground over workers’ rights.
The final vote came in at 51 to 17, with 28 members excluded after the Republican controlled assembly reportedly offered less than a minute for members to cast their votes.
The legislation would restrict federal workers’ ability to collectively bargain over their wages as well as require them to pay more for their benefits and pension program. Governor Scott Walker ( R) has cast the bill as a necessary step to mending the state’s economy.
A vote is still needed in the state’s senate. However, in an attempt to stall a vote, all 14 Democrats have left Wisconsin to deny Senate Republicans’ quorum.