MADISON, Wis. – Some key questions surrounding the Wisconsin Senate’s passage of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to take away the union rights of most public workers: 

Q: I thought the bill couldn’t be passed unless the Democrats were present to provide a quorum. What happened?

A: The Democrats must be present to vote on any bill that spends money. But before the Senate passed the bill, a special committee removed the spending measures, including a plan to restructure debt and a $19 million payment to the prison system. 

Q: So does that mean Walker got everything he wanted?

A: No, but the governor succeeded in winning passage of the collective bargaining provisions that attracted the most attention and the largest protests. The final version of the bill would:

• Remove collective bargaining rights for most public workers, including teachers, starting in July. Workers could no longer bargain over benefits, vacations and workplace safety. Police officers and firefighters would be exempt.

• Require unions to hold a vote every year to stay in existence.

• Make the payment of union dues voluntary.

• Require state workers to contribute 5.8 percent of their salary toward their pensions and pay 12.6 percent of their health insurance costs. Those changes would amount to an 8 percent pay cut on average, starting in April.

• Give broad authority to Walker’s administration to make cuts and other changes to Medicaid programs benefiting the poor, disabled and elderly without legislative approval and regardless of current law. 

Q: If most collective bargaining ends, how will employees seek pay increases to keep up with the cost of living?

A: Unions would still be authorized to seek higher pay but only up to the rate of inflation, unless approved by referendum. It’s not clear yet whether employees would get that rate automatically or if unions would have to negotiate for it every year. 

Q: Does the bill take care of the state’s $137 million budget deficit?

A: It sets the stage to balance the budget, but the parts of the bill that were removed are still needed to fulfill Walker’s plan. And to get that done, at least one Senate Democrat needs to be present.