Walker would consider bill changes but predicts passage despite union protests - JSOnline

Union workers and supporters are once again packing the Capitol and the surrounding square. Madison schools had to be shut down Wednesday after too many teachers called in sick so they could demonstrate against the bill.

The groups of union members and students who spent the night in the rotunda with sleeping bags are joining up with fresh demonstrators and have restarted their chants in the rotunda of "kill the bill." More rallies are being planned for later in the day and extra law enforcement security also remains in place.

Walker said that he was "disappointed" with the action by the Madison teachers and that he appreciates that other public employees are showing up for work. He said he respects workers' right to demonstrate but that he is "not intimidated into thinking that that they're the only voices out there."

Shortly before Walker was to meet with reporters late Wednesday morning, demonstrators loudly chanted outside of his Capitol office. The media had to be let in for the news conference through a back entrance.

Democratic lawmakers continued to listen to testimony from the public through the night. They took a pause at 8:30 a.m. to move from one hearing room to another in the Capitol and were about to restart just before 9 a.m.

Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau) said that the lawmakers still had to listen to more people who had signed up to speak yesterday and that now more people were signing up today. She said Democrats would keep listening as long as members of the public wanted to speak.

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