Supreme Court upholds Scott Walker Act 10 union law

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | July 31, 2014 | Jason Stein, Jason Silverstein and Patrick Marley

[2ndDivisionVet]

Madison — The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld Gov. Scott Walker's signature labor legislation Thursday,delivering an election-year affirmation to the governor in one of the three major rulings issued by the justices on union bargaining, election law and same-sex couples.

In addition to ruling Walker's labor law constitutional, the state's highest court also upheld the state's voter ID law and a 2009 law providing limited benefits to gay and lesbian couples, leaving liberals with one consolation to soften the sting of the two larger conservative victories.

"Our courts have continued to give deference to our Legislature and in all three of these cases, that is what occurred. And that's very important, because after all, that is what democracy looks like," said GOP Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, appropriating the slogan once chanted at the mass demonstrations against the union law.

The state court's decisions on the voter ID and domestic partner registry could still be overtaken by decisions in separate but related cases in federal court. But after more than three years of litigation, the court's seven justices on Thursday put to rest the last of the major legal disputes over Act 10, the 2011 law repealing most union bargaining for most public employees.

The decision was 5-2, with Justice Michael Gableman writing the lead opinion, which found that collective bargaining over a contract with an employer is not a fundamental right for public employees under the constitution. Instead, it's a benefit that lawmakers can extend or restrict as they see fit, he said....

[Secret Agent Man]

if the state can’t have power over what it’s going to allow unions to be able to bargain for, it has no power at all.

imagine a private sector interviewee for a job putting a huge list of demands and negotiting points down, and the business can’t say they won’t bargain on this or that.

[TurboZamboni]

None of what leftists state as fact about private unions is true of government unions as was also once stated by FDR in his 1937 to Mr. Steward declining an invitation to the Twentieth Jubilee Convention of the National Federation of Federal Employees (he stated why collective bargaining for government was an extraordinarily bad idea.)

Even union icons such as George Meany, the legendary former president of the AFL-CIO, dismissed the workability of public sector unions as “impossible.” In Wisconsin, even the socialist mayor of Milwaukee in the 1950s, Frank Zeidler, opposed public sector unions.

[afraidfortherepublic]

THe Journal Sentinel’s take on the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision on Act 10..

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.

[SunkenCiv]

> In addition to ruling Walker’s labor law constitutional, the state’s highest court also upheld the state’s voter ID law and a 2009 law providing limited benefits to gay and lesbian couples, leaving liberals with one consolation to soften the sting of the two larger conservative victories.

[DaveA37]

Finally, a great WIN for Walker. Now Voter ID will be the next hurdle but that appears to be getting closer to leaping over.

[TurboZamboni]

...Shoots...SCORES!