LINDA WERTHEIMER, Host:
We're back with ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.
SCOTT WALKER: We don't have any money. We can't make a good faith effort to negotiate when we don't have any money. But more important than that, the fact at the state level, in the past decade, the average amount of time for a contract negotiation has taken 15 months.
WERTHEIMER: Unidentified Group: (Unintelligible).
WERTHEIMER: Larry, could you describe the scene? Have you seen any clashes between the pro- Walker and the anti-Walker demonstrators?
LARRY ABRAMSON: But today, as you mention, there were thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of Tea Party supporters and other supporters of the governor's plan, saying that they want to balance the budget, that they feel union workers are leading to the demise of this state, and that it's time to put their foot down. And that's why they voted for this governor.
WERTHEIMER: Have you been talking to demonstrators out there today, Larry?
ABRAMSON: I talked to a masonry worker named Mansfield Neblett(ph). And he came out and he was holding up a sign, saying that he would support Governor Walker come hell or high water. And here's what he said.
MANSFIELD NEBLETT: As much as I argues union laborers, but we are in a hole this time. And if you're in a hole, you just can't continue digging. Or else, I mean, it's not a smart thing to do.
ABRAMSON: I talked to Pete Silva(ph). He's a retired firefighter from Kenosha, Wisconsin.
PETE SILVA: It's a matter of divide and conquer. If you take the firefighters and police officers, allow them to remain - having collective bargaining and take everybody else's rights away, everybody else will turn against the police and firefighters. We know that it's a plan of divide and conquer.
ABRAMSON: And he was alluding to the fact, Linda, that the governor's plan actually would not affect public safety workers like police officers and firefighters, but they came out in support of their brethren, saying that this was just the first step toward taking away all organized workers' rights.
WERTHEIMER: Larry, five days, that's a long time, for people to carry on demonstrating. I understand people are sleeping on the floor in the capitol. Do you get a sense that this thing is losing steam at all, or is it still going?
ABRAMSON: Most people I talked to say they're going to stay here. They're ready to miss more work. And they're looking forward to the next big climax, which is supposed to come on Tuesday when the governor is going to, you know, when negotiations are supposed to get going again.
WERTHEIMER: Thanks for joining us, Larry.
ABRAMSON: You're welcome, Linda. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.