Quinn Takes Shot At Wisconsin Governor Over Labor Battle
CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Gov. Pat Quinn is rolling out the welcome mat for the Democratic lawmakers from Wisconsin and Indiana who are taking refuge in Illinois.
A group of Wisconsin legislators are known to be staying in locations in Rockford and Chicago; Indiana Democrats caucused in Urbana.
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Quinn is particularly irked with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, saying that Walker and his allies are not interested in doing the will of the people.
"What they're trying to do, that governor up in Wisconsin, is trying to impose something very draconian and severe on ordinary, every day working people," he said.
Quinn said he often disagrees with employee unions in negotiations. But he said negotiating compromise over differences is what the collective bargaining process is all about.
"That's a fundamental right that we have in this country and in this state and we believe in that," he said. "If there are governors elsewhere that want to extinguish that right, I think that's just plain wrong."
Quinn said Abraham Lincoln even walked out of the old State Capitol to avoid a quorum call in a similar situation. He said that if the legislators want to stay in Illinois, they're welcome to do so, for as long as they want.
