Pro-Union Demonstrators Rally in LA

An estimated 2,000 pro-union demonstrators rallied outside the Los Angeles City Hall Saturday to support unions in Wisconsin, where the governor is trying to take away their power to negotiate on behalf of government workers.

"If it can happen in Wisconsin, it can happen anywhere," said Pasquale Gazillo, a merchant marine and member of the Marine Firemen's Union.

"States like that, they're the ones that started the eight-hour work day and made sure workers got paid if they got sick,'' Gazillo told the Los Angeles Times. "The Republicans are pushing and if that state falls, the rest of the country is going to be in trouble. This could set workers in this country back 100 years, even more."

Over the past two weeks, Wisconsin protesters and Gov. Scott Walker have been facing off over his proposal to end collective bargaining for most public employees.

Walker says the state is broke and must make major spending cuts.

Union officials say Republicans are trying to break their union.  

Wisconsin's Democratic state senators have left the so lawmakers lack a quorum to pass the measure.

The pro-union rally in Los Angeles was among many held throughout the nation Saturday.