As union supporters launched a sixth day of protests at the Wisconsin Capitol, the state's Republican governor reiterated Sunday that he wouldn't compromise on a bill that would eliminate most of public employees' collective bargaining rights.

The controversial measure aimed at easing the Midwestern state's budget woes led to massive protests that started Tuesday and have gained steam each day. An estimated 68,000 people turned out Saturday. All but a few thousand opposed the bill, but the day marked the first time that a significant contingent of Walker supporters showed up to counter-protest. There were no clashes.

Hundreds of pro-union protesters gathered inside the Capitol on Sunday, as snow turned into freezing rain that made walking outside the building a challenge. The demonstrators banged on drums and danced in the Capitol Rotunda while they chanted, "This is what Democracy looks like" and "Union busting!"

Democratic lawmakers have said they and union members would agree to financial concessions that the Republican governor wants in exchange for allowing workers to keep their collective bargaining rights. But Walker said he wasn't willing to budge, and he expected the bill to pass as is.

"We're willing to take this as long as it takes because in the end we're doing the right thing," he told Fox News from Madison.

The Wisconsin governor _ elected in November's Republican wave that also gave control of the state Assembly and Senate to Republicans _ says that concessions from public employee unions are needed to deal with the state's projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall and to avoid layoffs of government workers. The bill would require government workers to contribute more to their health care and pension costs and limit collective bargaining to pay increases less than the Consumer Price Index.

The dispute is being watched around the country because if Walker prevails in Wisconsin, other conservative Republican governors may try to go after powerful public employee unions as part of their budget-cutting policies.

Defeating the Wisconsin bill and others like it is crucial for public-sector unions, an important part of the Democratic Party base. President Barack Obama and other Democrats will need the strong support of unions in the 2012 elections _ especially in key swing states like Wisconsin _ to counter a huge influx of corporate funds allowed under a Supreme Court decision last year.

Nearly every major union leader _ both public and private sector _ has united behind an ambitious $30 million plan to stop anti-labor measures in Wisconsin and at least 10 other states.

Legislative action on the bill came to a halt Thursday when 14 Democratic state senators fled the state to delay a vote. They remained in hiding Sunday, but Walker told Fox News he thought they would return to work early this week.

"Democracy means you show up and participate and they failed to do that," he said. "They're walking out on their job."

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Sunday that the senators weren't likely to come back until the governor was willing to compromise. If all 14 Democratic Senators stay away, there isn't the required quorum to vote on legislation.

Erpenbach said he remained at a Chicago hotel and his colleagues were "scattered" out of state. They had a conference call Saturday night, and Erpenbach said they remained united in their effort to stall the bill.

"It's trying to slow this train down," he said. "It's making sure that obviously everybody in the state knows what we're dealing with here. It's an opportunity for the governor to calm down, take a step back, realize what he's asking for with this legislation and hopefully come to his senses."

Erpenbach said Democrats have reached out to Walker's administration but have not had their phone calls returned. He said it may take a coalition of moderate Republicans in the Senate to try to negotiate an end to the stalemate.

One of them, Republican Sen. Dale Schultz has proposed suspending collective bargaining rights temporarily to get through the state's two-year budget, but then restoring them in 2013. That idea was endorsed Sunday by the Wisconsin State Journal, the state's second largest newspaper.

Erpenbach called Schultz brave for bucking Walker's administration with the proposal. Asked whether Democrats could accept Schultz's plan, Erpenbach said workers should not lose their rights since they have agreed to make concessions by paying more for their health care and pensions.

At the Capitol, former state Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke arrived Sunday to join the protest. A former state senator, Wineke said he was impressed by the resolve of the 14 Democratic state senators who are delaying a vote on the bill.

"This thing is going to end badly for Scott Walker," Wineke predicted. "He underestimated the resolve of the public."

On Sunday, cornerback Charles Woodson, a member of the National Football League Players Association, became the latest Green Bay Packer to back the public employees' cause. NFL owners and the players' union are locked in their own fight over a collective bargaining agreement. Along with Woodson, seven other current and former Packers have expressed support for the protesters.

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Associated Press writer Dinesh Ramde in Milwaukee contributed to this report.