Posted on 06/15/2011 1:33:34 PM PDT by Jean S
Madison - One day after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of collective-bargaining legislation that potentially affects thousands of public-sector employees, a coalition of unions filed suit in federal court seeking to block it.
The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO on Wednesday joined a number of other unions seeking to halt Gov. Scott Walker's controversial collective bargaining legislation.
The groups include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 24, AFSCME Council 40, AFSCME Council 48, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the Wisconsin State Employees Union, The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO and the Service Emplloyees International Union Health Care Wisconsin (SEIU).
In a statement, the groups said they filed the suit because the collective-bargaining legislation "denies hundreds of thousands of public employees their right to collectively bargain for a better life. The groups challenge the constitutionality of the states Budget Repair Bill which would destroy collective bargaining rights for all but a select group of public sector workers."
The suit, filed in the Western District of Wisconsin, says the legislation violates the 1st and 14th amendments "by stripping away basic rights to bargain, organize and associate for the purpose of engaging in union activity, which have been in place for the last half century."
The case was assigned to Federal Judge William M. Conley
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
That and the fact that there’s no “right” to a specific level of income.
I suspect they’re planning to judge shop and hope they can get a liberal judge to issue a stay pending the case, then slow-roll the case.
Walker needs to order his AG to finish the publication of the law NOW. Then he needs to put it into effect immediately.
Collective bargaining is a Constitutional right? Are they out of their fracking minds?! I guess they are assuming they automatically will get four SCOTUS votes and are hoping de facto Chief Justice Kennedy will be in one of his stupid moments when he votes on their case.
The Bush v. Gore case had to do with a national election, not a state law, and I’m thinking that’s why the Supremes heard that case in the first place.
I’d tell ‘em, “Let’s make a deal!” Unions can have collective bargaining rights but, in return, they give up their ability to contribute to the campaigns of those who will be in any way involved with the bargaining process.
It completely subverts the collective bargaining system when those on one side can give money to those on the other side of the negotiations. If it were a shipyard and not a school board, or county commission, etc. it would be bribery pure and simple.
Collective bargaining works because the two parties on different sides. It stops working when one side can give the other side money, gobs of money, to keep them in their bargaining position.
I wonder if these clowns grasp that every time they file one of these bogus cases and there’s an appeal, they make new law and that new precedent they’re setting isn’t going to be to their advantage down the road.
The leftist motto: “It’s never over until we win.”
Using resources now instead of 2012 to get the biggest union leader re elected. This is a good thing.
Recall elections. Keep the story in the press.
Want to bet? Federal judges have taken over individual states prison systems and dictated the "amenities" that must be provided by the taxpayers. Just recently California released tens of thousands of felons at the behest of federal judges to mitigate "overcrowding". Going back a few years, If you didn't knuckle under and adjust your interstate speed limit to "double nickels" the Feds would withhold your highway aid money. The list of Federal bullying goes on and on. It is also getting progressively worse and I do mean "progressively".
Regards,
GtG
Money,volunteer work on campaigns. It’s a completely incestous relationship.
Of course the federal courts can get involved. e.g. if a state made it illegal for a private citizen to own a gun, that would violate the US constitution. And that is the problem here with the lawsuit and why it cannot prevail. What the state did does NOT violate the US Constitution.
Aside from the State’s Rights issue, I believe that most, if not all, Federal employees have the same limitations as this new law provides.
I’ll be interested in seeing how the leftists argue that the Feds should force the state to give the unions something the feds won’t give them.
They think it's found in the U.S. Constitution, "Thou shalt not interfere with union collective bargaining."
Seems people disagree with your assessment Red, after watching Obama I have to agree with them. Its not that they are afraid to interfere, they just don’t want all the federal unions getting big ideas right now.
This won’t get far in the Seventh Circuit.
But just one more Obama appointment to the Supreme Court would give the public unions this and whatever else they want. Despite anything in the Constitution or law.
A ‘Right’ doesn’t include the right to deny others of their economic rights (freedoms). The right to trade freely, in free markets.
What’s wrong with these dumb collectivist union Rats
I remember when Congress would never pass something compelling us to buy a product or service.
Those days are gone.
Take it on the road now... what a carnival.
Why haven’t they filed a lawsuit against the federal government for the same thing?
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