"Schaitberger said the president has always been an advocate for collective bargaining rights"

Obama rallies union base as budget standoff grips Wisconsin

By Jordan Fabian

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Harold A. Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, was in Wisconsin Thursday and spoke to the protesters outside the state capitol building in Madison. He said he appreciated Obama's words of support for the protesting workers.

"To me, it was pretty clear that he was standing with and supporting the workers," Schaitberger said.

Schaitberger said the president has always been an advocate for collective bargaining rights for public workers, noting his support of a bill last Congress that would have extended those rights to firefighters and police officers that currently don't have them. The legislation passed the House but failed to make it out of the Senate last year.

"This statement was very consistent with that," Schaitberger said.

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