BREAKING: Wisconsin Democrats to Return to the State? UPDATED

The Democratic state senators in Wisconsin who fled the state to prevent passage of Governor Scott Walker's anti-labor budget bill are planning to return soon, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The senators recognize that the bill will likely pass, but are betting that the reforms -- which include stripping collective bargaining rights from public employees in the state -- are so unpopular that it will create irreversible political damage for the Republican governor and legislators.

Sen. Mark Miller (D) said of the decision: "We are now looking at returning to the state capitol and requiring the senators to take a vote and have them declare who they're with — the workers or the governor."

Read the full story here.

UPDATE: Senator Miller's quote was taken out of context. According to a fellow state senator, Miller actually told the Wall Street Journal that the Democrats will only return when the attempt to eliminate collective bargaining is taken off the table.

New Wisconsin Poll Shows Broad Support for Labor

A new poll in Wisconsin shows that nearly 60% of the state support public employees, while a majority of Wisconsinites (53%) have an unfavorable view of Governor Scott Walker (R), who is attempting to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public workers.

The poll also shows that 65% of voters in the state want Walker to compromise with the unions instead of standing strong in his push to cripple organized labor. Among independents, 68% support compromise over further demonization of the state's workers.

This latest polling comes as Tea Party groups are claiming the support fueling Walker's anti-worker agenda is beginning to crumble due to growing public opposition, which means this latest poll will only intensify the opposition to Governor Walker's budget "repair" plan.

Read more about the poll's findings at Talking Points Memo.

Anti-Worker Groups Are On Their Heels

With clear national support for labor unions and public workers, advocates of stripping workers' rights are beginning to show weakness in their misguided attacks on state employees.

The Tea Party Express is now warning that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is "losing ground" because recent polling shows that his anti-worker budget reform bill is opposed by clear majorities of Americans and Wisconsinites. Moreover, TPE believes if Walker fails in his assault on labor unions it will force Republican governors throughout the country to "give in and capitulate."

Moreover, a report from the Wall Street Journal earlier this week suggests that at least three Republicans in the Wisconsin state senate may now oppose Governor Walker's bill.

The message is clear: Workers and their allies are winning, and victory in Wisconsin will indeed be a victory for workers throughout the country, especially those in states like Indiana and Ohio where similar rollbacks of workers' rights are under consideration by state legislatures.

If you haven't done so already, show your support for public workers and the sacrifices they make by signing the Standing Up for Public Service petition.

Walker: Layoffs Will Begin Next Month in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker began his latest attack on public workers today by announcing that he would be sending out layoff notices to state employees. The layoffs, according to Walker, are due to the legislature refusing to pass his budget "repair" bill that would strip public employees' collective bargaining rights.

As the Washington Post reports:

Walker sent letters to state employee unions saying that layoff notices would go out to state employees in 15 days. The governor also said that actual layoffs would occur a month from now if legislators do not pass his "budget repair" proposal.

Walker's bill, which experts say would eviscerate the state's public employee unions, has been at a standstill since 14 Senate Democrats left the state two weeks ago to block a vote.

"While these notices start the process needed to [lay off] state employees, if the Senate Democrats come back to Wisconsin, these notices may be able to be rescinded and layoffs avoided," said a statement from Walker's office.

The proposal would eliminate most collective bargaining for public employees across Wisconsin, while preventing unions from collecting dues with payroll deductions. Walker's bill would also prevent unions from requiring members to pay dues.