Wis. Dem says they're united in plan to stay away

One of the 14 Wisconsin state Senate Democrats who fled the state rather than vote on an anti-union bill says they remain united in their plan not to return to Wisconsin until Republicans are willing to compromise.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach's comments came Wednesday after the Republican Senate leader says he was told by another Democrat that five or six of them planned to return, but decided against it.

Erpenbach says Republicans are under a lot of pressure not to pass the bill and called their actions to fine Democrats who aren't around and to take away copier privileges "really stupid."

Erpenbach says Democrats would return "in a minute" if Republicans would remove the proposal taking away public workers' collective bargaining rights. Republicans say they won't do that.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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