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A Wisconsin Democratic lawmaker says negotiations have stalled with Republicans over controversial legislation that would strip most public workers ...

Absent senate Democrats in Wisconsin are talking with the majority Republicans about possible compromises aimed at ending a stalemate over a bill to strip public sector unions of bargaining rights.

Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker was expected to deliver a budget proposal on Tuesday that would cut state spending and includes a contentious move to reduce the rights of public sector labor unions.

Wisconsin's Republican Gov. Scott Walker said on Monday that absent senate Democrats have 24 hours to return and vote on a measure to reduce the power of public sector unions or the state will miss out on opportunity to refinance its debt.

Dozens of protesters camped overnight in the Wisconsin Capitol and vowed to be back in full force Monday after police backed away from threats to close the building, where demonstrators have held steady for two weeks to oppose Republican-backed legislation aimed at weakening unions.

Up to 100,000 rally in Madison while hundreds show up in dozens of other cities to combat the Republican-backed measure that would limit collective bargaining rights for most public workers in Wisconsin.Nearly two weeks into a political standoff, tens of thousands rallied in Madison and in dozens of cities around the nation to oppose a bill that would severely limit collective bargaining rights for most Wisconsin public employees.

While a bill limiting collective bargaining rights was passed in the Wisconsin Assembly, the measure stalled because Senate Democrats remained out of the state.

The NFL and the players' union have made "some progress" over seven consecutive days of face-to-face meetings, "but very strong differences remain," and negotiations will resume next week, the federal mediator overseeing the talks said Thursday....

The fight over public union benefits and collective bargaining is spreading across the United States. Here is a state-by-state breakdown ...

Wisconsin Republicans on Sunday upped the pressure on Democrats who fled to Illinois to return home and vote on an anti-union bill, with the governor calling them obstructionists and a GOP lawmaker threatening to convene without them....