Taking Act 10 national? Gov. Walker says Trump administration is interested
MADISON -- Gov. Scott Walker says President Donald Trump's administration is interested in taking Wisconsin Act 10, the law that ended most collective bargaining rights for many public sector workers, national.
Walker said he met with Vice President Mike Pence for a "great amount of time" during a visit to the White House last weekend.
"We talked about what we've done in Wisconsin, how they may take bits and pieces of what we did with Act 10 and civil service reform and how they can apply that at the national level," Walker said. "It's something they're interested in."
Walker once pitched the idea of curtailing federal government workers' collective bargaining rights during his own short-lived presidential campaign.
A week before he dropped out of the race in September 2015, Walker pledged that he would prohibit the federal government from automatically deducting union dues from workers' paychecks.
"We've got a plan to wreck havoc on Washington and our plan starts on day one," Walker said during a rollout of his plan.
Gov. Scott Walker
It sounded like Act 10, the issue that first vaulted Walker onto the national stage.
Fast forward to today, and Walker says he is open to advising the Trump administration on how to go nationwide with the law.
"It's certainly something we're willing to offer our assistance on -- particularly if it helps improve not just the nation but helps the ability to be better stewards of the taxpayers dollars here in Wisconsin," Walker said.
Walker said he spoke briefly with President Trump in the Oval Office about Russian president Vladimir Putin. Mr. Trump had just gotten off the phone with Putin, Walker said, without providing details of the conversation.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 1: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Donald Trump (C) sits beside Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Rifle Association (NRA) Wayne LaPierre (R), and Executive Director of the National Right To Life Committee David O'Ste