With Governor Scott Walker's signature, Wisconsin becomes 25th Right-to-Work state

BROWN DEER (WITI/AP) — Governor Scott Walker on Monday, March 9th signed a Right-to-Work bill into law, striking another blow against organized labor four years after effectively ending collective bargaining for public-sector workers. The controversial bill makes it a crime for businesses and labor unions to force employees to pay union dues -- essentially weakening unions in private businesses.

Governor Walker, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, signed the bill Monday morning at Badger Meter in Brown Deer. The new law takes effect immediately. During the signing, Walker was surrounded by company officials and others who supported the divisive proposal, including Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.

"It sends a powerful message across the country and around the world," Governor Walker said.

Governor Walker says he strategically chose Badger Meter for the signing.

"This is one more big tool to help places like Badger Meter -- where they can put jobs anywhere around the world that Wisconsin is the right place, because Wisconsin once again is showing we are open for business," Governor Walker said.

"In all of our facilities except this one, our workers have the right to chose whether or not to belong to a union, but not here in Brown Deer because Wisconsin has not been a freedom to work state," Badger Meter President and CEO Rich Meeusen said.

Meeusen says the Right-to-Work bill will help them to be competitive. He says it will lead to more hires, and it will not mean less pay -- although opponents still think otherwise.

Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) says he agrees Right-to-Work could make Wisconsin more competitive, both nationally and globally, but he says maybe not in a positive way.

"If you want a high quality, highly educated workforce, highly focused, that`s the direction we had been focused. This really puts the brakes on that and moves us in the other direction. They decided to plow over the voices of Wisconsin who are going to see their wages decline, who are going to see workplace protections go away and who are going to see profits move to the top," Senator Larson said.

The Right-to-Work bill passed the Assembly on a party line vote last week.

Monday's ceremony came after Walker spent the weekend in Iowa. He's scheduled to be in New Hampshire (another early presidential primary state) this weekend.

Reaction has been flowing in since Monday morning's signing.

Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO said the following in a statement:

The Wisconsin Teamsters have issued this statement:

Robert Kraig with Citizen Action Wisconsin issued this statement:

In response to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s signing of 'right to work' legislation today, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04) issued the following statement:

Senator Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) issued this statement:

Kurt Bauer, President and CEO of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce issued this statement:

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce VP of Government Relations Scott Manley issued this statement:

Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Committee, has released the following statement regarding Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signing a bill enacting a private-sector Right to Work law:

Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) issued this statement:

UFCW Local 1473 issued this statement:

President Barack Obama has issued this statement:

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