Late yesterday afternoon Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas overturned parts of Act 10, the bill that sharply curtailed collective bargaining rights for most public employees, stating that the law violated workers’ constitutional rights to free speech, free association, and equal representation under the law. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Madison teacher’s union, MTI, and Public Employees Local 61 representing Milwaukee city workers. Governor Scott Walker immediately criticized the decision, and a spokesperson for Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said he would appeal the decision.
Most of the ruling does not affect faculty at UW-Madison, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the ruling appears to strike down the provision in Act 10 that requires participants in the state health insurance system pay at least 12 percent of their premiums. PROFS is following these developments and will post more information to the website as it becomes available.
9/18, ETA: Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen filed a motion asking Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas to stay his decision until the appeal process is completed.