Mass Legislature Votes to Reduce Collective Bargaining Rights

[whell]

Well now, isn't this interesting:

"The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

"(Democrat House Speaker Robert A.) DeLeo said the House measure would save $100 million for cities and towns in the upcoming budget year, helping them avoid layoffs and reductions in services. He called his plan one of the most significant reforms the state can adopt to help control escalating health care costs."

“By spending less on the health care costs of municipal employees, our cities and towns will be able to retain jobs and allot more funding to necessary services like education and public safety,’’ he (DeLeo) said in a statement.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/...n_health_care/

I guess I'm interested in feedback from those who believed that the budget flap in Wisconsin was only about the GOP's strategy to attack collective bargaining rights and unions.