Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Scott Walker’s Labor Reforms

Photo Credit: Emily Mills / Creative Commons

After three years of legal battles, the war for Gov. Scott Walker’s cornerstone public-sector collective bargaining reforms ended Thursday with the state Supreme Court upholding Act 10 in its entirety.

The Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision, with even liberal Judge Patrick Crooks agreeing Act 10 is constitutional, gave its approval to the public employee labor law that sent thousands of protesters to the state capitol and 14 Democratic senators fleeing across the state line in a bid to stop it.

All but one liberal Dane County judge had concluded Act 10 meets constitutional muster. The law holds wage negotiations to the rate of inflation, ends automatic union dues deductions and requires annual union recertification votes.