Federal Court Ruling: Gov Scott Walker (R-WI) has right to restrict collective Bargaining for public employees

A federal judge threw out a lawsuit Wednesday challenging Wisconsin's tight restrictions on collective bargaining for public employees. 

The decision by U.S. District Judge William Conley is the latest loss for unions and victory for Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed and approved the measure soon after he took office in 2011. 

The law stipulates that government employee unions can negotiate over wages but nothing else, and that any pay increases can be no higher than the rate of inflation. The law also dictates that unions cannot be recognized by the state unless 51% of all potential members — not just those voting — support the union in annual elections.

Two unions representing local employees throughout Dane County sued in July 2011 in federal court in Madison contending the law violates their rights to freedom of association and equal protection under the law. 

But Conley ruled that the law does not infringe on employees' rights. 

"This difference is likely of no comfort to plaintiffs, but the First Amendment does not require an affirmative response from governmental entities; it simply requires the absence of a negative restriction," Conley wrote. "Under Act 10, general employees remain free to associate and represent employees and their unions remain free to speak; municipal employers are simply not allowed to listen." 

Bruce Ehlke, the attorney for the unions, said he saw an inconsistency in Conley's logic because he believed barring employers from listening to unions in fact is a "negative restriction." He said the unions are considering appealing.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

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