Wisconsin judge strikes down law limiting union rights

On Friday Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas ruled that the law signed by Gov. Scott Walker that curbed collective bargaining for most public employees violates both the state and U.S. Constitutions and runs afoul of free speech and associated rights in a 27 page ruling according to the Associated Press.

Gov. Walker’s office issues the following response:

“The people of Wisconsin clearly spoke on June 5th. Now, they are ready to move on. Sadly a liberal activist judge in Dane County wants to go backwards and take away the law making responsibilities of the legislature and the governor. We are confident that the state will ultimately prevail in the appeals process”.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that the ruling “likely sets up another showdown in the Supreme Court”:

“The law remains largely in force for state workers, though a federal juge struck down part of that section of the law as well earlier this year. But for city, county, and school workers the decision by Dane County Judge Juan Colas returns the law to its status before Walker signed his law in March 2011.The ruling means that, unless it is overturned on appeal, school districts and local officials will have to return to the bargaining table with their workers in a much more significant way.

The decision raises a host of questions about changes in pay, benefits and work rules that have taken place in the meantime while bargaining was essentially dead.dge struck down part of that section of the law as well earlier this year. But for city, county, and school workers the decision by Dane County Judge Juan Colas returns the law to its status before Walker signed his law in March 2011.

“The decision essentially creates the (2011) status quo for municipal employees and school district employees because it declared that the essential provisions of Act 10 to be unconstitutional,” said Lester Pines, an attorney for the Madison teachers and city of Milwaukee employees who are plaintiffs.”

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