Topic summary
2011 Wisconsin protests
Non-centralized leadership
Wisconsin Democratic Legislature figures:
- Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller
- Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca
Wisconsin Senate 14
Wisconsin Republican Legislature figures:
- Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald
- President of the Senate Michael Ellis
- Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald
- Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder
From February to June 2011 in the US state of Wisconsin, as many as 100,000 protesters demonstrated their opposition to 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also called the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill. The bill proposed significantly limiting the compensation and rights, including collective bargaining, of public employees in the state.
Protests against the bill centered on the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, with satellite protests also occurring at other municipalities throughout the state. Demonstrations also took place at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. After the bill was upheld by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on June 14, the number of protesters declined to about 1,000 within a couple of days.
The protests were a major driving force for recall elections of state senators in 2011 and 2012, the failed recall of Governor Scott Walker in 2012 and a contentious Wisconsin Supreme Court election in 2011.