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In a statement released Monday, Democratic State Senator Tim Carpenter announced he has drafted a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution to protect the rights of workers to collectively bargain wages, benefits, hours, and work conditions.

“The recent passage of a bill in Wisconsin that effectively eliminates collective bargaining for most public employees has put Wisconsinites through a traumatic period of our history. That bill is currently being litigated in the courts, and its passage has even given rise to unprecedented efforts to recall elected officials,” said Carpenter

An amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution would need to be approved by two consecutive sessions of the state legislature before being put to the voters in a statewide referendum, so the odds are certainly stacked against a constitutional amendment protecting collective bargaining. While I appreciate the thought behind Sen. Carpenter’s proposed amendment, it’s obviously a non-starter until 2012 at the earliest, and so it’s symbolism but not much else.

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