Fueled by public sector collective bargaining issues, the Wisconsin recall elections continue today. The AFL-CIO is "getting out" the vote. See the races handicapped here.

A state court judge in Wisconsin has issued a temporary restraining order preventing (at least temporarily) the new law eliminating public sector collective bargaining from taking effect. Wisconsin has become ground zero in a battle between labor and Republicans that will have lasting implications on a national scale.

The lame duck Jefferson Parish School Board has voted 6-3 to let 3,000 school support workers opt for union representation. Wow! This is a real gift to local unions. The approval vote happened last week, and the employees will vote tomorrow. This is an example of what labor wants to achieve in the private sector -  fast elections. Essentially there is no time to inform employees of the down side of unionization, or to mobilize any worker or community opposition. The fact that the issue would be decided by a lame duck Board, a majority of whose members will be replaced in January, only underscores the problem with politicians addressing labor/management issues. Whose representing the taxpayer at that bargaining table?

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll finds 62% of Americans strongly oppose stripping public employees of the right to collective bargaining while at the same time even larger percentages think public employees should contribute more to their retirement benefits (68%) and pay more for their healthcare (63%). By a whopping 77% those surveyed believed public sector union members should have the same rights as private sector union members. To me, none of this is surprising or even incongruous. Wisconsin's Governor Walker wants to eliminate bargaining with the unions representing state employees. That position has little to do with reducing the budget deficit. The unions have already agreed concessions are in order. The employer has the right to refuse any demands made by the union. Only if the employer agrees do politicians need to man up and say "no" in bargaining, not eliminate bargaining altogether. This is a political issue, not an economic one. The political objective is to weaken unions which support the other political party. The problem is, the public does not agree with the objective, even though they agree with hard bargaining with public sector employees to carry some of the burden of reducing the state budget deficit.

An interesting new study from the self-proclaimed non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities suggests the answer is complicated.

Not only Wisconsin, but in many other places, support for Wisconsin collective bargaining rights exists. And for a little humor at Gov. Walker's expense, take a look at the 100 best protest signs.